Onwards
by Pearlynn
Summary: This was how he loved her: in the wilderness with nothing but themselves. Anthology series with ten parts, all leading up to The Queen's Desire. Rated M for sexual content and some language. Breath of the Wild Zelink. *Reformatted to list each part as an individual chapter as of 9 May 2018*
1. Grace

_Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda._

 _ **A/N:** So I've decided to make this into a mini series because there's a big disconnect (imo) between **I Knew You** and **The Queen's Desire** , and I feel like there's different bits and pieces to be told from different points in time so here we have the connecting bits scattered around and morphed into one big story. Just letting you know now that they are purposefully out of order and I will let you know at the end what order to read them in if you want to go chronologically. There will be three parts per chapter and the last chapter will be Zelda's coronation._

 _Also, this story will include spoilers from both DLC expansion passes so ye have been warned. Have fun!_

* * *

 **Part One: Grace**

The sunrise reflecting against the ocean was a perfect backdrop to the sight of her praying at the statue.

Even after the final sealing of Ganon and her subsequent mastery of her powers, Zelda felt it pertinent that she pray to the Goddess at every statue she could find in order to extend her gratitude to Hylia's grace and guidance for the past century. Without the Goddess, both he and Zelda would have perished along with the Champions. For that, Link was especially thankful.

Her appearance was ethereal, almost otherworldly, as the rising sun started glowing over the horizon. Her words were murmured and a soft smile was on her lips, a beautiful sight, and her hands were clasped gently in front of her chest.

"... by your Grace."

Link watched as she stood right as the sun crested over the vast sea, and the glowing quality she had gained slowly diminished in the growing sunlight.

Her eyes moved to him and her smile was bright as she said, "Shall we make way?"

He nodded once then returned the sheath of the Master Sword to his back. He watched her carefully tread through the sand and make her way to the path that led out of the village towards the north where their horses waited outside of the Yah Rin Shrine. When they reached the cliff, he hoisted their packs onto the saddle of his horse and started strapping it down. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Zelda staring thoughtfully out towards the rolling sea, her mind far off and peaceful based on the content look on her face.

Link patted her on the shoulder, letting her know the horses were ready to go, and she blinked back to the moment and gave him a small smile.

"Are you sure you don't want to take Palamore Beach over to Loshlo Harbor?" he asked her while he mounted his horse, Apone. "We can take the trail from there and cut out a whole bunch of travelling."

"I'm certain," she stated with an odd lightness to her voice, following his lead and climbing onto her horse, Storm. "There's a place I've been wanting to visit and we skipped it entirely. Plus we'd have to leave behind our horses if we took those beaches."

"We'll be backtracking."

Zelda looked over her shoulder and flashed him that winning smile when she replied, "We are on no timetable, so we can spare time for the detour. Besides, it's on the way that we decided to take."

Link frowned at her secretive tone and followed her lead back west towards Lake Floria. Even though Zelda claimed it was made for him, so he should have sole possession of it, they had been switching possession of the Sheikah Slate at his insistence. Zelda protested, but Link claimed that she was the one who owned it first and she was the one who desired its secrets. So, after a long debate and shoving of the slate back and forth, they agreed to share it. After all, they were to almost always be with each other. It would always be within arm's reach for either of them.

Since Zelda was the one who had a destination in mind, she was holding it today. She kept referencing the map - a new feature from when she owned it a century ago - and kept them on the trail that lead towards Faron. They passed a single traveler looking for Aris Beach before they started crossing the Floria Bridge and by the time they were passing the Lakeside Stable in a lazy gallop, Link spurred Apone forward and reached Zelda's side.

"Where exactly are we going?"

There was a twinkle in her eye when she glanced over to him. "You'll see. We're almost there."

Link huffed but listened. Zelda steered them north when they reached the Zonai Ruins and immediately Link knew where she was leading him. The entire forest was eerily quiet, not a monster nor animal in sight. When they dismounted the horses at Harker Lake, Link took the Slate from Zelda and activated the Stasis Rune. To his surprise, not a single monster was around.

"They really did disappear after Ganon was defeated," Zelda mused as they started heading inward towards their destination.

"I don't think they simply disappeared," Link countered with a frown. He swept the area once more with the Slate and had to really squint to see a lone Lizalfo back behind a few trees and bushes, cowering away from them. "I think they just know they aren't invincible anymore. Most of them are likely fleeing into the canyons and mountains if they're able. I know I saw a Lynel in the Andor Foothills when we were riding past to get to the Rito Village. So that means they're still roaming for the most part."

"Just in places the Hero of Hyrule isn't prone to exploring," Zelda cheekily replied. Link arched his eyebrows at her, but said no more.

They passed the monster's hiding place and trekked northwards beside the river. The open courtyard housing their destination came into view and Link was surprised at its... emptiness. The last time he was here he was under a barrage of shock arrows. Now, every broken pillar was vacant. Not even the Moblin guarding the mouth of the Spring was in his place. They were all gone.

"I suppose I should be thankful," Zelda hummed as she took Link's hand and tugged him towards the Spring. "It wouldn't have been fun to have to deal with monsters all morning."

When she stepped under the dragon statue's mouth and in towards the Spring, Link stared up at the Goddess Statue and frowned. Despite their luck with avoiding being attacked today, it seemed strange. Not even a Yiga clansman had come to fight them yet, despite Zelda's reappearance being widespread news.

It seemed too convenient.

He lowered his head to see Zelda wading into the water, her boots discarded at the stairs, and she made her way to the front of the statue. Her eyes drifted upwards to the effigy of Hylia, her palms hovering on top of the water and her shoulders relaxed.

"I may not feel the powers as strongly as I did when I went to face Ganon," she started. Link kicked off his boots and followed her into the water. He waited at her side as he watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath. "But it is important to give my thanks for the powers She bestowed on me. She made the Master Sword, and the voice inside the sword reminded me that you could be saved... Hylia is the reason we still stand."

Link hummed with affirmation and fought back the urge to take her hand. She was in one of her trances and he did not dare disturb it.

"Do you hear the voice, Link?"

He felt himself smile and listened to the faint whisper in the back of his mind. "I remember you asked me before... I can't recall what I said to you then, but I do now. She speaks louder to me now that I've tempered my spirit."

Zelda opened her eyes and turned her attention to him. "'She?'"

Link nodded and he drew the sword, its divine aura glistening against the Spring's water. "She's been here before, long ago. Before the sword was tempered to the form we see now."

"I would very much like to hear the stories of old," Zelda mused. Her hand drifted over the blade's glowing edge and she sighed, "Maybe one day the sword can tell us of her origins. If the legends are true, Hylia herself blessed this sword when she took on a mortal form. That's why it can bind evil and cast away darkness."

"She's old," Link murmured while he put the sword back in the sheath. "Her words are faint, but its mostly feelings that she reveals to me. She's shown me my past lives, at least the ones she knew. It's all fractured and disconnected, but it's there. She's very fond of Hylia and swore her undying allegiance to Her Grace and the Chosen Hero, and all of their lives since then."

"A product of Hylia's design," Zelda replied, voice distant and thoughtful. Her eyes drifted back to the statue and she clasped her hands in front of her in prayer. "I suppose another thing to thank the Goddess for: the sword's resilience through millennia."

Link heard the whisper in his head again and he smiled at her devoted words. "She says there's no need to pray when the Goddess is within you, Princess."

Zelda's eyes snapped open and her cheeks turned pink. "Oh, nonsense." Her attention turned to the sword on his back and she pointed at it indignantly, "Flattery gets you nowhere. Both of you."

Link let out a barking laugh and leaned forward to press a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Come on. I want to get to the Dueling Peaks before sundown and we're already running late."

He started wading towards the dilapidated stairs when the sword pulsed strangely and whispered to him again.

 _"Her Grace needs tempering, Master. Take her to the other Springs."_

"For what reason does she need tempering?" he whispered back as he glanced over his shoulder to see if Zelda would have heard him.

He felt the pulse once more. _"Her powers were exhausted in her fight with Ganon. She can regain them by visiting the Springs and bathing in their water. You speak to Goddess Hylia in prayer and you know that is where She is strongest."_

Link rubbed the pommel and frowned. There was no need for her to have her powers. Never has Ganon broken from his seal quicker than a few millennia. Zelda herself said she was content with the fact that her powers were dwindling. What purpose would they serve?

 _"There will be those who dissent and oppose, they will deny. She needs undeniable proof of her nature and authority."_

He turned back to Zelda, who had gained that otherworldly look once more in her trance, and he felt his frown deepen. From what he could remember of their time spent together before the Calamity, he knew the stress and anxiety that her powers, or lack thereof, caused Zelda. She had felt so pressured to harness the Golden Light and gain the knowledge that she would need to seal Ganon away after he defeated it. Knowing that she would need it again, Link knew she would feel the crushing weight of that expectation. She seemed more at ease now, and Link attributed it to the lack of need for the thing she was raised to believe was her only purpose in the world. Having to bring that back would likely destroy the happiness she had built. All he wanted was for her to smile, and now they may come few and far between.

He sighed, "I suppose I can discuss it with her."

 _"Very well."_

Zelda chose that moment to rise out of the water and head back towards him. Her clothes were wet, but the late morning sun and their horse riding would dry her up quickly. She smiled that gorgeous and bright smile and took his hand, oblivious to the strife he was currently feeling, and chirped, "Are you ready?"

Despite himself, Link smiled and squeezed her hand. "As ready as I'll ever be."


	2. Surprise

**Part Two: Surprise**

Link was waiting for her outside of the gatehouse - her makeshift office until the rooms on the eastern side of the castle were fixed - with a passive look on his face as the new Minister of International Relations, a Hylian named Serta, walked past. He watched her as she walked down the path and made her way inside the Castle with that same, strange look. By the time Zelda reached him, he was frowning and pinching his lips together in a tight line.

"Rupee for your thoughts?"

He blinked away the daze and his head swiveled towards her, surprise evident in his now-expressive eyes, and then he pulled his lips up in a bashful grin. "Sorry. Lost in thought."

Zelda sniffed and strode past him, giving him ample time to follow her as she made her way up the path towards the Sanctum. "You better shape up, Sir Knight. I need you in top condition if you are to protect me. I cannot have you slacking off while on duty."

She heard his feet fall in step with hers as he replied softly, "My apologies, Your Majesty."

"Is something on your mind?" She looked over her shoulder to him, three steps behind as he always does when they were in public, and she smiled. "You can speak freely to me."

There was something in his eyes that spoke more than his words ever could. _I know I can,_ was what he was conveying there. He gave her a soft smile and then a shake of his head. So Zelda sighed and continued on towards the Sanctum.

"We were discussing the incoming entourage from Labrynna," Zelda supplied, figuring Link would need to know considering he was the General of the newly-reinstated Royal Guard and basically her Second-in-Command for the whole country. "They should be arriving in a little over a month, King Hector and his son Prince Ralph, as well as some of their courtiers. Since the destruction of Ganon and my invitation sent out to the neighboring countries, he has been enthusiastic to restore trade and relations between our two countries. Serta was just prepping me for their arrival and what she felt needed to be done while they were here. She recommends including Beedle in the discussions, since he is the Minister of Trade."

She stopped at the entrance of the Sanctum before turning on her heels and looking him square in the face. "We have to leave for our trip to the Akkala Citadel in two days time, and should be back before the entourage is due to arrive here. Hopefully by then we'll have more of those guest suites available."

"I would recommend having them stay in those rooms we were looking over the other day," Link replied evenly. Zelda saw the teasing hint in his eyes and could barely fight the flush she felt spread across her chest. "I'm sure Hoz would prefer them staying there instead of in the Guard Chambers with the trainees."

"I'll see to it being finished before we return, then."

She spun around and stepped into the Sanctum with Link right on her tail. This was the second time she would be visiting the destroyed throne room since the final battle with Ganon. At this point in time, the sack he had been festering in was removed from the ceiling and most of the floor was filled in with wooden planks. The dais where the thrones had once rested was bare, save for tools and some tomes rescued from the ministers offices in the surrounding towers.

As Zelda carefully made her way across the room, she heard Link shuffle to the left and check out some newly-recovered flags that had been laid on the stairs.

Her eyes drifted over to him, his profile sharp and eyes focused as he took in the details of the embroidery. He bit his lip, deep in thought, and she noticed his hand was flexing near the Sheikah Slate on his hip. Not a good sign.

"Link?"

His head snapped up, eyes unreadable when they locked onto her. After a few breaths and still silence, he blinked before bounding over to her, no questions on his lips. She frowned and took his hand when he reached her side and rubbed his knuckles with her gloved thumbs. "How are you adjusting to living in the castle? I know it hasn't been that long since my coronation and our 'official' move in, but I want to make sure you're not getting overwhelmed."

"I'm fine." His words were unconvincing.

Zelda frowned and her eyes darted around the Sanctum, wary of hidden and prying eyes, then leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. "You'd tell me if something was bothering you, right?"

He nodded, but the frazzled look returned to his eyes. Frazzled! That's what the look was. She lifted one hand and caressed his cheek with the backs of her fingers. "Promise me. I don't want you to have any issues with being back here."

"I should be saying the same thing about you," he countered quickly, almost in a defensive manner. But when Zelda gave him a flat and unamused look, Link sighed and dropped his shoulders while he averted his eyes. For a moment, he shifted his weight back and forth on his feet, like he was preparing to run, before he quietly replied, "Being here is different. A lot of old memories are starting to pop up, that's all. I apologize for getting distracted."

Her heart ached for this man. "Don't apologize for something you can't control, my love. We're in a safe, quiet, and familiar place. I'd rather you recall your life before the Calamity here than out in the wild. The last time you were checked out for almost a half an hour. I'd hate for it to happen to you again where you could be in danger."

Link gave her that warm smile that made her insides melt and he leaned into her hand. "I'll try my best to keep them in check."

He didn't let her say anything else. When his lips hit hers, she sighed and closed the distance between their bodies. Link's arm wrapped around her waist and he gripped the sash that was bound at her hips. His other hand mirrored hers and caressed her cheek. Zelda rubbed circles into his hips with her left hand while her right hand hovered over where she knew his most jagged and pronounced scar was on his chest. Link flinched, but he didn't break the kiss until her left hand started drifting down to his leg.

"Zelda..." The warning tone in his voice was not lost on her. It was almost dangerous and it sent a warm wave through her body.

She grinned up at him and gave him another kiss, this one full of promises and suggestions. "There's no one up here right now."

Link glanced over both of his shoulders before nodding and kissing her again. He broke away from her for one moment as he whispered against her lips, "If I hear anything, you stop. Okay?"

Zelda nodded emphatically before dropping to her knees and untying his pants. Her mouth salivated at the thought of servicing him, kneeling right in the middle of the Sanctum of her Castle. She may be the Queen, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with taking care of Link and submitting to him. As soon as his member was freed from his undergarments, Zelda grabbed his shaft and stroked him a few times until he was fully erect. By the time he was throbbing, Zelda took him into her mouth all the way back to her throat. Her gloved hand slid up and down his shaft in time with her bobbing head as her tongue swirled the tip, ending with a little suck when she got to the top.

Link's hand shot to her hair, careful of her crown, and he rubbed her scalp while she swallowed around him. He gasped and groaned in the back of his throat, and Zelda chanced a look up at him to see his eyes practically rolled to the back of his head. Her free hand held his thigh while she took him all the way in her mouth. Link was panting now, his hips starting to grind into her to get himself deeper into her mouth. Zelda felt her pussy quench with he thought of taking him all the way, and she couldn't stop the moan that vibrated out of her.

His responding groan spurred her on even more, but she needed him to slow down his hips. She lifted her free hand and placed it on his hip to stop him, but her fingers brushed the hard material of the Sheikah Slate.

Immediately, Link stilled and she heard him curse before everything was drowned in blue light.

It felt like everything was being torn from her body, piece by minuscule piece. When she was in her ritualistic stasis with Ganon, her body immaterial and light, she still felt whole. Her legacy as the Goddess-Blood Princess gave her the ability to be connected to the land, from every blade of grass and the restless crickets that hide between them, to the mountains and the Divine Beasts that roosted themselves on the tops. She was always whole and grounded, despite being almost spiritual and transparent.

Now, however, the link she had with Hyrule was severed, snipped clean as she floated in oblivion between atoms. Her soul felt like it was being shredded between rusty and jagged claws and scattered into a nonexistent wind.

Just as quickly as it started, Zelda felt herself return to her corporal form bit by bit. She was hit with a blistering cold wind and her stomach upheaved itself on the ground. She body shuddered and cramped, rejecting whatever the hell had just happened, and her head spun before she completely felt her body become one again and collapse onto the ground.

 _"Fuck!"_ She could hear Link frantically moving about as he became himself once again. She managed to open her eyes and despite her double vision, she could see snow all around - that would explain the painfully cold wind biting into her skin - and she saw the blue burr of Link fumble with his pants and his packs. _"Holy shit!_ My dick is going to freeze off!"

Had she not felt like her soul had been ripped from her body and whatever was left become inside out, she would have laughed. Instead, she tried to lift herself up from where she collapsed and stop that obnoxious spinning that was happening with her head.

"Whoa! Zelda, keep still! I need to get you somewhere warm. _Shit!_ "

She vaguely felt him lift her into his arms and carry her into what she assumed was the entrance of a cave or alcove or something. The stone she had been laying on was smooth, so it couldn't have just been some rocky crag. Though, in her muddled mind, she figured her finger must have brushed one of the fast-travel locations on the map. Perhaps they were at a shrine? She couldn't remember exactly where he placed his Travel Medallion, but it wasn't somewhere this cold, that's for sure.

Zelda tried to open her eyes again, but they were quickly covered with something soft and _\- oh -_ so warm. Link's familiar hands were tugging this garment down her body and he was stuffing her feet into some boots over her normal flats she wore at the Castle. Then he was stuffing a bottle into her hands and ordering her to drink while the sound of him unholstering the Slate and selecting something filled the little cavern.

She took a drink from the bottle and immediately her nausea subsided and subtle warmth spread to her fingertips and toes. Now, she was able to open her eyes and focus on Link standing out in the blizzard, dressed in his Champion's Tunic and trousers like he always was, and the Slate extended in front of him. Like the glowing blue that had taken over her being, a new object materialized out in the snow in front of him.

Like the Divine Beasts, this... thing was made out of the same ancient Sheikah materials. But it was smaller, and shaped in the likeness of a horse. Link pulled out several ancient cores from his pack and shoved them into the center, then straddled the what she assumed would have been the saddle. He flexed his wrist a couple of times, causing the beast to make a loud, roaring noise that echoed into the shrine's entrance. She heard Link curse again, this time in the rough tongue of the Goron, and he dismounted before running back to her.

"Okay, we've got to get somewhere safe," he muttered to her as he swept her into his arms and stood. "I may have just alerted all three Lynel that hang out around here so we have to go now."

She was still feeling a little numb from the cold, her fingers fumbling with the bottle as she was jostled in his grip, when she mumbled, "Where are we? What is that?"

"Hebra, in the Northern Tabantha Tundra," Link supplied right as the cold air hit them both. She saw him flinch and grimace as he strode over to his contraption. "And this is the Master Cycle Zero, the fifth Divine Beast."

As he lifted her onto the saddle and straddled it in front of her, Zelda gasped at the new information. "Fifth Divine Beast? There were no records of it in the ancient texts..."

Link did that thing with the handle, the loud noise coming out from underneath her, and suddenly they were jolting forward. Zelda screeched and clutched onto Link's tunic, her frozen fingers digging into his skin as they sped through the snow-covered plains between the mountains. Faster than any horse she had ridden, this _cycle_ raced past what Zelda registered as a Silver Lynel, whose roar was lost over the whipping wind and rev of the beast.

They passed several empty monster encampments, through a small patch of trees, and up a small hill before they were launched into the air. Link leaned forward as Zelda cried out, her stomach dropping and her body feeling as if it was drifting out of her seat at the same time. This was nothing like joining him on the paraglider, at least then they had a way to slow their decent and almost cushion their fall. Now they were just plummeting to the earth with no way of stopping or slowing down.

"Hang on!"

They slammed into the ground, but the shock was absorbed by the wheels of the beast, then they were speeding forward again. Soon, Zelda spotted a stable and they were rounding the outcropping of rocks adjacent to the tent and they skidded to a stop right in front of the registration counter.

Link stood and dismounted, then without a word he swept Zelda into his arms again and bolted into the tent. Over his shoulder, she could see the Master Cycle Zero dissipate in the same slivering blue light that it had appeared through. Link went to the counter and it was in the warmth of the stable inn that she could tell he was out of breath and still had that pained look on his face.

"Link-"

"A soft bed, please," he cut in as he spoke to the attendant. That grimace returned as the attendant took a look at her and suddenly recognized both of them.

"Your Majesty!" he exclaimed before bowing his head. "My apologies for not recognizing you sooner!"

Still slightly weak from this... experience, Zelda merely gave him a dismissive wave and a small smile. "Please, sir. No need to fuss. We just need somewhere to rest before we head out again. There was a..." She met Link's eyes and he shrugged. "Mishap... and we will be on our way shortly."

The man, Varke if she remembered correctly from discussions with Link, smiled and looked up to her knight with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Messing with your contraption again? You know better than to come out here without the proper gear. Look at you, kid, covered in snow and not an inch of cold-protection gear. For shame."

Link had the grace to look embarrassed as he set down one silver rupee onto the counter and led Zelda over to the two vacant beds against the back wall. As he started shaking the snow out of her hair and off of the warm armor he put on her, Zelda kept her eyes on him. The weather was well below freezing and the snow was coming down heavily. Yet, like Varke had said, Link was not wearing any of his cold-weather gear. Not even a diadem or headdress.

"Link-"

"It was my reward for conquering the challenges that all of the Champions face before they were deemed worthy to pilot their Divine Beasts." At her confused silence, Link looked up from where he was dusting the snow off her skirts and added, "The Master Cycle Zero."

"Oh..." Their eyes were still locked for a long moment before she blurted, "Aren't you cold?!"

He blinked a few times, almost as if he didn't think of it, then he clicked his jaw shut before reaching into his pack and pulling out a paper-wrapped parcel. She quickly recognized it as a steak smothered with some peppers and mushrooms, and in the typical Link fashion it was scarfed down and not a morsel was left behind. After he licked his fingers and patted his belly, he fished around his pack and pulled out his ruby circlet and another insulated top, this one green and heavily worn-in.

After he pulled them on, he moved over to his bed and grinned at her. "'M fine now."

Nonplussed, Zelda gaped at him for another minute before looking to where the Sheikah Slake was holstered on his hip. "Well... at least there was something to gain from this... experience. We now now the Sheikah Slate has the capacity for two persons with fast travel."

Link scowled and folded his arms over his chest. "Yes, but not without side-effects."

"Side-effects?" Zelda titled her head and frowned. "What side effects?"

He stared at her like she had said the sky was green and grass was pink before shaking his head and leaning forward. "When I first used the fast-travel function of the slate, I barely even stumbled when I finally became myself again. You threw up and passed out for a good few minutes. I didn't pay attention what was different for me because I was too worried about getting you somewhere safe."

Zelda flushed and averted her eyes. "I suppose that would be something we would need to consider the next time we decide to do that..."

"Next time? There won't be a next time. Not for a while, at least."

Her scowl matched his and she glared at him. "And why not?"

Link sighed and ran his hands through his hair before going to his neck and rubbing it again - that stupid habit. "That was an uncommon reaction to the fast-travel. We need to be careful and make sure it isn't a common thing in general. I don't want to risk something worse happening next time we try it."

"But it-"

"Absolutely not," he cut in sharply, his eyebrows pulling down until his face looked absolutely menacing.

Had others in the stable heard him, they would have been aghast at the tone and the almost-command he had ordered to the Queen. Zelda, herself, was a little affronted at his tone, but with all of his walls down she saw the worry and, dare she say it, _fear_ in his eyes.

"Until we know exactly what happened," he added in a quieter, calmer voice, "I don't want to risk you getting hurt again. We need to be more careful."

Zelda reached forward and gently put her hand on his arm. "I am sorry, Link. It was my fault this happened."

He watched her for a few moments, a careful distance in his gaze, and he sighed before nodding. and leaning back. "Get some rest. We will set out in the morning."

"What about the Castle? I'm sure there are people looking for us by now."

Link hummed in thought, his eyes moving over to the other patrons on the stable before he sighed and rubbed his temple with the heel of his hand. "Would you be opposed to riding on the Cycle again?"

Her curiosity about the new Divine Beast burned and she nodded enthusiastically, causing Link to chuckle and shake his head with mirth. She watched as he stood and made his way to the counter to tell Varke that they would no longer be staying the night, then generously decline the refund for their beds. When he made his way back to her, Zelda stood - ignoring the way her head swam and her stomach protested the quick movement - and she led the way outside to where Link would call forth his beast.

"I'll drive until we get out of the snow," he said as he took out the slate and activated the rune. As the Master Cycle Zero appeared in its shining blue light, he added, "If you want, I'll let you take the handles once we get to the Salari Plain. The paths are smoother there so it won't be too bumpy for your first time."

"I'm content with bumpy first times," she murmured lowly, barely audible over the blowing wind. But Link heard her, enough to make his ears go red and a bashful look spread across his face as he sat on the beast.

After she let out a breathy laugh, Zelda followed his lead and straddled the beast like she would her horse. Link did that thing with his wrist again and soon they were lurching forward and speeding northeast on the trail. She clutched his shirt and snuggled close, considering their situation to be a good excuse to hold him, and let him steer her out of the cold and towards her home. The temperature quickly changed as they started moving downhill, the snow turning to rain before clearing up as they sped past the Forgotten Temple.

"I suppose we should pay this temple a visit sometime in the future," she mused over his shoulder. He just grunted and caused the bike to speed up. At his almost fearful reaction to her suggestion, she let out a little laugh. "What was that for?"

"As far as I know, that place is still littered with decayed Guardians," he replied to her. The thought made her shiver. "I haven't checked to see if those were defunct like the others."

"The ones in the Castle lost power after Ganon was destroyed." Her eyes wandered to the canyon where the temple slept. "For all we know, the rest of the Guardians did, as well."

"There's no way of being entirely certain without going in there," he countered. The next stable was starting to come into view and Link veered off of the path to bypass it entirely. "I'm hoping those would, as well, but we can't be too sure considering their secluded home. For all we know, they could still be waiting for me to go back and get my rewards."

"Rewards? What rewards? There's more other than this?"

After they sped past a shine on the hill, Link slowed down and stopped. After he dismounted, he turned and grinned at her. "For completing all of the shrines. I never had the time to go back because I needed to help you. And then we started traveling and went back to the Castle, so it just slipped my mind. But it's not important. What's important is for you to drive this beast and for us to get back to the Castle."

Zelda swallowed and nodded, following Link's quiet order and scooting up on the seat. Her hands gripped what he called the handles as he settled behind her. His hands rested on her hips and she felt her chest warm as he leaned forward and spoke quietly in her ear.

"Rev the engine by turning the handles back towards you." One hand drifted up and rested on top of hers. He nudged it back a little to show her the motion and his breath tickled her neck as he softly added, "That's the throttle. It'll give you the power to move."

Their feet were still on the ground, so when her wrist flexed, the beast roared and shook underneath her. Link's hand tightened on her hip and he shifted a little closer.

"Good. Now we lift our feet..."

Both of them did so.

Zelda's hand tightened on the handle.

"And we..."

She revved it back.

"Go."


	3. Hurt

**Part Three: Hurt**

"You haven't been sleeping."

Link looked through the flicker of flames to where Zelda was laying, propped up by her elbow, her blankets bunched around her waist and a concerned frown on her face, apparent even in the low light.

"I didn't much before, either."

The frown deepened and she sat up more. "You would still get some rest at the inns and villages. You haven't had a wink since we left Goron City. Not even in your own home."

Link's eyes dropped to the fire and he could hear Zelda's soft sigh over the crackling of the wood.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing, Princess."

Even he didn't believe his words.

There was a rustling and Link looked up to see Zelda stand up and make her way past their grazing horses and across the fire to him. After she knelt in front of him, she took his hands between hers, so much warmer than his, and she held them near her chest. "You can talk to me, you know?"

Behind her the fire glowed, the light seeming to shroud her in that subtle holy glow she takes on when she prays. He inhaled an shaky breath and averted his eyes. Since they started their journey across Hyrule, more and more of his memories were starting to pop up in his mind. Every brush of the wind against his face brought him to the days he grew up in Faron, a taste of spiced soup reminded him of the time he traversed Hebra with his father when he was training to become a Knight of Hyrule. A simple tune he started to hum made him think of his mother, who had died before he turned ten and had sang him to sleep during thunderstorms.

Link hated that he forgot, but he became even more frustrated and angry that he was only now starting to remember.

"I..."

"I know it's been tough," Zelda whispered after he hesitated. "I knew that putting you in the Shrine of Resurrection would have some side-effects. I don't expect you to trust me implicitly like you had before, such is the drawback of your stolen memories... But I want you to trust me like you had before, to tell me what is on your mind."

Link took her hands to his lips and pressed his lips to the knuckles tenderly. "It's... just hard for me to put into words. But I'll be fine. I promise."

"I know you didn't give me a straight answer when I asked if you remembered me," she replied with a sad, almost dejected sigh. "I didn't expect you to, but I couldn't help but be hopeful the moment I saw your face again. And I apologize for putting that expectation on your shoulders with my weighted question. This will all be tough to overcome."

She smiled before she leaned forward and gave him a tender kiss. When they parted, she stole her hand away and used it to push some of his hair off his forehead. "But we'll figure everything out. For now, you need rest. I'll need you in top shape if you are to storm the Castle in my name."

Link chuckled and wrapped his free hand around her waist. He pulled her into his lap with ease, feeling a flare of smugness rush through him at the squeak and tiny whine she let out when their hips grazed each other, and he leaned forward to kiss her again. A thrill ran through him when Zelda quickly fell into the kiss, her sigh soft and cool as it fanned his face. Her hand quickly cupped his head and tangled in his hair, while he took the chance to reach around her and grab her rear. She immediately moaned - a good sign - and he pushed her down a little so she could feel his growing erection against her center.

Zelda broke away from the kiss and pouted at him. "Didn't I just tell you to get some sleep?"

Link nodded but pushed her chin up with his nose so he could get better access to her neck. He had no idea why, but her neck was just so... arousing? Tantalizing? Amazing? The noises she made when he kissed and nibbled her there drew out the most feral and crazed part of him, begging him to do more and feel more and just raged through his blood like fire.

She moaned and clutched the shoulders of his tunic then ground her hips down against him. He started guiding her, moving her back and forth against him and holding her so that not one inch of space was between them. Her fingers slid under the collar of his shirt and nails scratched the skin between his shoulder blades. Another spark of arousal shot through him, ending in his gut and making him groan against the tendons of her throat. Zelda's immediate reaction was to moan and do it again.

Hands gripped at her hips, speeding up her tempo, and he panted at the friction of her body against his. Sparks lit against every single one of his nerves and he had to stop himself from cumming straight in his pants. No, he had to make her feel good first. To make up for worrying her.

He snaked his hand around and wedged between their bodies. He tugged at her shirt, pulling it free of her pants, and he flattened his hand against the hot skin of her belly. Her breath hitched and her hips jolted, but she did not protest or slow down. Instead, she mirrored his movements and her hand started pulling his shirt out from under her thighs and started bunching it at his waist. Her hand grazed the exposed skin of his stomach and that spark of want shot straight to his groin.

Her fingers were trembling against his skin and he paused to pull away from her jaw and look her in the eyes. There was a slight flush to her cheeks and her eyes were blown wide, and despite her hesitation there was the clear look of want on her face. Her breaths were coming out in shaky pants, her breasts heaving and straining against the thin fabric of the undershirt she chose to sleep in.

"Do you know what to do?" She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "Have you d-done this before? Other than what w-we did in Gerudo Town."

He shook his head and he murmured to her, his lips grazing hers in a feather-light kiss, "I know enough... But I'll learn the rest. Follow my lead."

Zelda nodded and Link slid his hand beneath the waistband of her pants and underwear. As soon as he touched the thatch of hair above her center, Zelda exhaled heavily and did the same to him. He jerked back when her fingers tickled the trail of hair that started at his belly button and hissed through his teeth when they wrapped around the base of his cock.

As he reached her slit and his finger slipped between her folds, she gasped and her grip tightened, causing him to let out a loud groan and drop his head to her shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry!" Her hand loosened and her shoulders curled in, causing her hair to curtain around them. "I-I-I'm just a l-little nervous. All I know is so... clinical or from a book I stole out of the library."

Link lifted his eyes to her and felt the corner of his lip pull up into a grin, amused at her confession, then reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear with his free hand. "I'm just going by what the Gerudo taught me last time. Everything else is instinct. Don't think, just feel. We'll learn it as we go."

She gave him one more nod before kissing him and tightening her grip on him. Pleasure shot straight to his spine and she swallowed the moan he let slip. He mirrored her movements, hands quivering as his fingers roamed her folds. The hand not currently buried in her pussy was threading into her hair, pulling her neck back to give him better access to her throat. He kissed and licked and nibbled while he rubbed her, biting down a little harder as she started tugging on him all the way to his head. He let out a quaking gasp when she twisted her wrist and he moved deeper into her. When his fingers slid inside her, she cried out and bore down on him.

His palm ground against that spot that seemed to drive her crazy last time. Zelda cried out his name with murmurs and pleas, her hand starting to become frantic as it stroked him in time with his thrusting fingers.

In the firelight, her beauty was divine. This was how he loved her: in the wilderness with nothing but themselves. She thrived in the wild, away from the confines of the Castle. And as much as he hated that they would be returning to her prison, he knew that she could still come back here, where she would be able to live, and be free.

"L- _Link!_ I'm c-coming, I'm - _ah_ \- _coming._..!"

He sped up his thrusts and ground his palm even harder against her. Her back arched as she started humping his hand, giving him the perfect access to her chest, and he leaned over and bit down on the nipple that was tenting in her shirt. Her cry was guttural and raw, and her hand tightened even more while her core fluttered around his fingers. That glow she had when she prayed was evident now, golden and warm and gorgeous.

And Link was the one that did that to her.

He started to slow down, letting her ease back to reality as her fluttering and grinds ceased. He let her catch her breath, leaving small kisses on her neck and rubbing her back, and he waited. For a few moments, the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and her soft breaths. It was music to his ears.

When her eyes finally opened, dazed and dark and hungry, Link swallowed and watched with rapt focus on her lips as she licked them and gave him a devilish smirk. "Well... Sir Knight, I think it's about time I give you something in return, don't you think?"

At her low voice, all he could do was nod. Zelda's responding hum shook him to his core and he couldn't help but lean up and kiss that wicked grin off her lips. She deepened their kiss almost immediately, her tongue thrusting into his mouth and sliding along his teeth. He shivered and admitted quietly to himself that she was indeed a quick learner.

Suddenly both of their horses started getting restless and Apone whinnied out, causing Link to break the kiss and look over to their steeds in dazed confusion.

"Hoy there!"

 _"Fuck!"_

The lovers scrambled apart, pulling their hands away from the other and clambered to their feet. Link readjusted his pants and wiped his hands on the back of his thigh while Zelda smoothed her hair back down and looked for the person who had called out to them. Emerging from the forest were two travelers, their packs heavy on their backs and lost looks on both of their faces. The taller one was lean and his hair was pulled back into a ponytail much like Link's, while the shorter one was stocky and tanned, frown lines deep in his forehead.

"Hello there!" the taller one called with a wave. "We saw the smoke from your fire and thought we'd be able to get directions."

Link's skin crawled and immediately he fell on the defensive. Most travelers that he's encountered didn't approach his fires. In fact, with how late it was, most travelers were already settled down until sunrise or were going to pass through straight to the closest settlement or stable. They were not too far from a stable, in fact Link considered heading straight there instead of stopping in the woods for the night, but Zelda wanted to camp like they did before the Calamity.

Also with them being so close to the path, it would be easy to keep going down the road and finding a landmark that could send them in the right direction.

His fingers flexed and he subtly made to get Zelda behind him. His hand reached for the dagger he kept on his belt, and he waited.

"Where were you trying to go, good sirs?" Zelda replied, tone friendly and warm, as it always was.

The shorter one glanced at his companion, a subtle movement that could have easily been missed, and he stated, "We're looking for the Temple of Time! We hear there's a secret Shrine near it and we wanted to check it out."

Link's stomach plummeted and felt Zelda shift to his side, most likely sensing his discomfort with the presence of these strangers. All he could feel from these people was ill intent. He didn't meet her concerned gaze, instead he kept them locked on their intruders as he grit his teeth when she replied, "My apologies, but we don't know where that is. And my friend doesn't speak much so he wouldn't be able to tell you, either."

The taller one frowned and met the eyes of the short one, then said, "That can't be right. After all, you are the Princess of Hyrule. You have to know where it is."

He felt Zelda stiffen next to him and her hand curled around his taut bicep. "I-I'm sorry but surely you are mistaken-"

"No, you are her," the short one then said, stepping more into the firelight as he looked to Link. "And you're the murderer of Master Kohga. So we'll destroy that Shrine so neither of you can be revived!"

In that instant, everything froze into slow motion. Puffs of smoke enveloped both of the travelers and they revealed themselves to be Yiga clansmen. The tall one turned into a blademaster while the other became a footsoldier with a bow in his hand. Link shoved Zelda back and chucked the dagger straight at the blademaster. It was embedded deep in his thigh, causing the large man to shout out in pain and attempt to remove it.

In the chaos that began, Link darted forward, sweeping the Master Sword up from where he had set it aside while speaking to Zelda, and lunged at the footsoldier. With two strikes of the majestic sword, the smaller Yiga was slain and knocked away. The blademaster had regained his wits and managed to dislodge the dagger. Despite the blood that was running down his leg is huge rivets, the man charged forward, windcleaver in one hand and Link's dagger in the other. Link leapt out of the way of a particularly powerful thrust and was able to parry the second swipe.

He heard Zelda's cry as the blademaster tried to swipe at Link's stomach with the dagger, causing both men to remember her presence in the clearing. Quickly, the blademaster shoved Link back and aimed the dagger towards Zelda's sprawled form. Link's heart seized and he jumped right into the knife's path as it left the Yiga's hand. As quickly as he could, he batted the dagger away with the Master Sword, shattering it into a thousand pieces, and he was unable to roll out of the way in time when the cleaver was brought down in a powerful slash.

Pain erupted on his shoulder and he felt the warmth of his blood seep into his clothes. The Yiga chuckled deep in his throat and made to strike again, but Link was quick to call forth the red shimmering shield that he usually kept dormant. The blademaster was knocked backwards, but quickly reoriented himself as Link stumbled back to his feet.

Before Link could fully get his footing, he was launched in the air by his tricky ground manipulation. The earth slammed into his ribs and he tumbled as soon as he hit the ground. His vision swam and he tasted the distinct flavor of blood on his tongue. When his sight no longer danced with multiple charging Yiga men, he rolled away from another blast of rocks and he crouched down to prepare for flight.

The spiritual gusts of wind swirled around him and soon he was soaring into the sky, perfect for an aerial strike. He whipped out one of his Ancient Bows, nocked a shock arrow into place, then fired. The Yiga was hit straight in the forehead and stunned long enough for Link to land in a roll and thrust the Master Sword into his innards. The giant man's garbled cry was drowned out by the sound of his blood splattering on the ground and on Link. With a snap of his fingers, a bolt of lightning came down and electrocuted the Yiga to oblivion.

Using his foot, Link kicked the now-sizzling body off of his sword and used the last of his energy to roll over onto his stomach. Now that the battle was over, he could feel all of the injuries he accrued: likely a fractured rib or two, he was bleeding from his shoulder so heavily it was dripping down onto the dirt beneath him, and he was certain the woozy nauseous feeling he had was from the internal bleeding he knew he was suffering.

 _"Link!"_

His breath caught when a sharp stab of pain wrapped around his torso the second Zelda touched him, followed by a drawn out shout that ended in a pitiful whine. He barely noticed she had rolled him over onto his back, now giving him the chance to look up to the canopy of leaves above him.

"Oh, by the curses of Demise!" she cried, her hands drifting over his stomach and seafoam eyes wide and glistening with her tears. "Do you have any elixirs in your packs?"

He managed to shake his head, the motion being the only thing not causing him pain. Immediately he recognized the searing that was spreading through his body as the nasty poison the Yiga had developed after Kohga was killed. Link cursed loudly in Gerudo, blaming himself for being careless and putting both himself and Zelda in danger, before reaching deep into himself and calling upon Mipha. He felt the warmth of her healing touch spread through him, washing away the stench of the poison and sealing the wounds he had gained in that pesky battle. For a moment, the blinding light of her ability filled the clearing in a flash. Just as quickly it was gone, leaving Link panting on the ground and Zelda staring at him with wide-eyed shock.

Wearily, Link reached towards his shoulder and patted himself, feeling the wetness of his blood still thick in the fabric but no wound in sight. He sighed and sank into the ground, relishing in the sturdy feel of the dirt under his back and the crisp bite of the air in his lungs. He survived this time.

"Link..."

At the sadness in her tone, Link managed to lift his head and look to her, still planted on her butt next to his hip. Her eyes were still round as saucers and fresh tear tracks were cutting through the dirt that had made its way to her cheeks.

"Were those... were those the Champions' abilities?"

There was a sharp pain in his heart and all he could do was nod. Zelda's eyes dropped to her lap and he heard her sniff again.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice watery and thick. "I shouldn't cry, because I know they're gone. You said it yourself when we first set out on this journey. It just... hurts. Remembering them and knowing that a piece of each of them lives within you... I just wish that price hadn't been paid. That's all."

He reached forward and grabbed her hand. She lifted her eyes to him and he gave her a smile before dropping his head back to the ground. They sat there for a few more moments, the sounds of nature picking up once more, and Link relished in the ease he felt after exhausting himself like that.

"I think... I might be able to go to sleep now."

Zelda's surprised giggle was a welcome sound and together they stood and made their way back to the camp, hand in hand and exhaustion hitting them both full force. They barely even made it under the blankets when Link felt the darkness of sleep finally hit him, and he peacefully succumbed to slumber to the sounds of the crackling fire and Zelda's loving hum.

* * *

 _ **tbc.**_


	4. Anger

**Part Four: Anger**

The horses were mounted and they rode west towards Lake Hylia. Link remained silent, pensive, as he debated internally how he would bring by the topic of her powers. The sword was suggesting different ways, most of them blunt and logical, but would likely anger Zelda at their abruptness. Link hissed at it to shut up, causing Zelda to ask what was wrong, and he promptly denied anything that could concern her.

After the trees thinned, the Bridge of Hylia came into view and they crossed it without much incident. Link could see an Octorok down in the waters, but it was hiding beneath the surface entirely. Not even willing for its tuft of grass to be seen. He frowned and spurred Apone forward, ahead of Zelda, and scanned the horizon. His eyes landed on the abandoned Castle in the distance and immediately the sword spoke up again.

 _"She will need to go home."_

"There has to be somewhere else."

 _"Everything is destroyed. You have seen it yourself, Master."_

He scowled at her honorific and made note of their surroundings. Clouds were starting to form overhead and he was certain he could smell rain on the air. Once again, he cursed the skies and made to slow Apone a little so Zelda could catch up.

"Link, what's wrong?"

He turned to her and replied, "Rain is coming. Do you want to ride through it or find shelter?"

They passed through the gates of the Bridge and made their way down the hill. The bokoblin camp that had once been there was vacant. Even the treasure chests they had once guarded were left unopened. Link scowled at the emptiness and turned back to Zelda as she mulled over their predicament.

"I suppose we should keep riding. We can make it to the Dueling Peaks shortly, and there isn't anywhere safe we can stay until then."

Link nodded in affirmation and spurred Apone on. Zelda did the same with Storm and they galloped towards the East Post Ruins. They turned a sharp right into the ruins when the rain started to fall. Link swore and pulled a hood out for each of them from his pack, tossing the spare over to Zelda. They crossed the Proxim Bridge quickly and pushed forward towards the Dueling Peaks. By the time they reached the mountains and entered the narrow pass, the rain was barely hitting them.

"Link..."

He turned to see Zelda frowning as she looked forward towards the end of the pass.

"Something is on your mind." She met his eyes and her look became more stern. "I thought we agreed to be more open and honest with each other."

Immediately, Link felt more guilt build up in his chest and he replied, "I'm sorry. It's something I don't quite know how to discuss with you yet."

"Is it bad?"

"No, no," he attempted to give her a reassuring smile, but it came out as a grimace. "The sword mentioned... something I thought you should keep in mind."

Zelda's frown deepened, a cautious lilt entering her voice, "Like what?"

He saw the obvious suspicion in her gaze and he finally relented with a sigh and drop of his shoulders. "It... it might be time that you consider reacquainting yourself with your powers."

The confusion and - dare he say it - betrayal was clear on her face. "Link, it's only been three months since Ganon was defeated. There's no need for me to have access to those powers. Besides, they were exhausted in the years I was battling with him. I don't think they'll be coming back."

He sighed again and tugged the reins of his horse so they turned onto the Big Twin Bridge. The rain started hitting him again in full force and he was so thankful to see that stable. "Yes, but the sword told me that people will deny the fact that you are indeed Princess Zelda Eugenia Hyrule, heir to the throne -"

"Oh, posh!" she snapped. Link blinked with surprise as she pushed her horse past the stable and raced on towards the fork in the path that led to Hateno. "There's absolutely no need for it!"

Link spurred Apone ahead of Storm and swerved to block Zelda's path. Storm skidded to a halt with an angry neigh and snort, mirroring his owner's angry glare.

"Look, I don't like the idea any more than you do," he reasoned. Zelda huffed and folded her arms across her chest and glared off towards the Kakariko Bridge. Link steered Apone so he could be right next to her and he placed his hand on her arm. "I know you said you came to grips with the fact that they had weakened, but that doesn't need they're no longer needed. It's not like you need to pray all the time and train like before. I won't let that happen. All you have to do is go to the other two Springs and you should be fine."

Her bright eyes snapped to him and she scowled. "How are you so sure that's all I need to do? Because the sword said so?"

Link sighed and took his hand off of her arm. "No, not entirely. It was brought up, but I think it might be wise. What if something happens? What if... What if Ganon comes back before we die? It's possible. I wouldn't rule it out entirely so I would hate to be unprepared like last time."

"Is that why you still have the Master Sword?"

His heart dropped and he felt a certain sensation of sadness come from the aforementioned sword. He resisted the urge to comfort it. "No."

"Then why haven't you gone back to put it back where it belongs?"

"Because she hasn't told me to," Link blurted. Zelda's eyebrows shot up and he quickly added, "When I drew the sword for the first time, I felt it in my soul that I could not return it until my job was done. You put it back for me because I failed, but I still drew it again and continued on. There is still so much to be done. Ganon is gone but Hyrule is not at peace. That's why the Master Sword stays on my back."

Zelda kept his gaze for a long moment before her face fell and she looked down to her lap. "It's a symbol. Of who you are."

"Your powers would do the same for you," Link suggested quietly, barely audible to his own ears over the falling rain. "Anyone can claim they are the Princess of a monarchy that hasn't existed for a century. There will be people we haven't visited that will be unconvinced of your return. If you try to go back to the Castle and attempt to rule as your father did, not everyone will be so willing. I'm not saying it has to be done now, but it could be a start."

Zelda rose her eyes to his again and Link panicked when he thought for a quick second that she was going to cry. But she swallowed and nodded before taking her reins again and looking to the path that led to the east. "We might as well keep riding to Hateno. It's not entirely dark yet and I don't think we need to talk privately about what the sword has been telling you."

"But-"

She turned her sharp glare back to him and she snapped, "We're going. Now."

He nodded and let her lead the way to Hateno. She pushed past the Blatchery Plain without as much as a wince or glance, which he couldn't say the same for himself. Fort Hateno, which is typically an awe-inspiring sight for him was ignored in favor of her high shoulders and tight back underneath her borrowed hood. She was silently seething the whole time, not even sparing a glance back at him when she galloped further ahead and they got separated. By the time they reached the village gates around midnight, Link was drenched and exhausted.

She slowed down, a minor courtesy since she did not know where his home was, and he led her towards the Bolson prototypes and over the bridge that led to his secluded home. Bolson and Karson were nowhere to be seen, probably due to the time and rain, so Link was thankful that he would be able to avoid questions. They quickly dismounted and pulled their horses into his little stable and together they ran for the front door.

Once inside, Link pulled off his hood and shook out his hair. Quietly, he lamented the lack of Korok leaves in his inventory. How he hated the rain in moments like these.

His eyes drifted to Zelda, who had started walking around his home, taking in the surroundings. Her hand trailed against the table in the center of the room, then her attention turned to the weapons mounted on the walls. She stopped in front of Urbosa's Daybreaker and her hand trembled slightly as it traced the jewels embedded in the front.

"If you want, I can teach you how to use that... So you can always have Urbosa with you."

It was the least he could do, offer her that after everything that had happened.

Her fingers curled around the ruby in the center and she bowed her head. "I would love that. Thank you."

Link took a hesitant step forward, arms partially stretched out towards her, and he whispered, "Can we talk now?"

She sighed and lifted her gaze to him, eyes tired. "Can we change first?"

Link had completely forgotten about being drenched and now that Zelda said something, he felt his face flush and he nodded emphatically before showing her up the stairs. She went up while he moved to the little nook beneath the steps and removed his weapons before reaching for the hem of his shirt. When he pulled off his soaked clothes, they landed on the floor with a splat and he pulled out a spare tunic and his Snowquill trousers. As he stepped out, Zelda descended the stairs wearing a Sheikah top and his Gerudo Sirwal. He flushed at the thought of what they did the last time he wore them.

 _"Focus, Master."_

That embarrassment just increased tenfold.

Zelda moved to the dining table and folded her hands on top of the wood. Link followed her lead and sat across from her, anxiety gnawing away at his stomach as he did so.

"What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Her tone was icy and almost dismissive, so familiar to how she spoke to him when he first was appointed as her knight, it struck him hard in his gut. But he expected it. In fact, he had assumed she wasn't even going to speak with him regarding any of this at all so the fact that she agree and was willing to let him speak his peace first was a step in the right direction.

"We can wait on going to the Springs," he started, causing her eyebrows to shoot up again. "There are more important things to take care of before we go running around the backwoods of Hyrule. For right now, you need to establish a place of operations. Somewhere the people can come to you and we can oversee the reparations of the country."

"Where would you suggest we go?"

Link sighed and glanced off to where Mipha's Lightscale Trident was hanging. Zora's Domain would prove to be difficult to reach for some of the other races, as would Goron City. More than half of the country's population wasn't allowed in Gerudo Town and Rito Village was too small to host the amount of people Zelda would be in contact with during the beginnings of the reparations.

Most of the outposts in Central Hyrule were destroyed or close to it. Nothing hospitable enough for the Princess and her work. As much as Link would enjoy staying Hateno, he knew that the fact that this village was so far away from every other settlement that it would be inconvenient for overseeing the country. The same would go for Lurelin.

Impa would probably suggest against using Kakariko for the same reason, mainly because it's so small and incapable of expansion should it be needed. Link sighed and realized what was left: Hyrule Castle.

"It's the only place in the entirety of the kingdom that's not completely destroyed, hard to reach, or out of the way."

Zelda sighed and she started picking at the table cloth. "I knew you were going to say that. As much as I hate it, I know it's right."

"We can send a party in," Link suggested softly, "clear out the messes and what monsters are left. We can avoid the places that are uninhabitable and rebuild the places that are absolutely needed."

She lifted her eyes to the wall behind him, likely looking at Revali's bow hanging there. "We would need to work on rebuilding all of that after the requests of the people are met. I don't want to rebuild my own things without taking care of the needs of my people first."

Link smiled. "Well spoken. We can go ahead and start planning it all out. After we get some rest."

Zelda met his eyes once more, defeat plain in her stare, and she whispered, "There really is no other option, is there?"

"We can build somewhere else," he offered. "But if you're wanting to attend to the needs of the country, you have to think of something that's ready to house you, most likely me, and any other person you want with you while you plan the reparations."

Zelda snorted as she reached across the table to take his hand, her features softening in the process, and she murmured, "'Most likely' you? Dear knight, you underestimate your importance to me."

He grinned and wove their fingers together. "You can stand to remind me more often."

She gave him a small squeeze before pulling her hand away, leaving Link feeling oddly bereft, and she sighed. "I'll think about it. I knew returning to the Castle would be necessary, I just didn't expect to do it so soon..."

"We can think of other options-"

"No." Zelda had turned her head to look over her shoulder and her eyes were on Urbosa's shield. There was a quick determination in her eyes as she stood from her seat. "If I am to best serve the people of Hyrule and lead them once again, I need to do so from a seat of power. Hyrule Castle has withstood many turmoils and was present during many triumphs. The people of Hyrule need to begin viewing it as a symbol of strength once more, not a place of fear, and using it as my home once again can help everyone take the healthy steps again."

Link's eyebrow rose at her sudden determination. "You were easily convinced."

Zelda smiled sadly and closed her eyes. "The Castle was not my prison, it was Ganon's. I do not hate my home. I just hate what it may have become in my absence."

"I'll lead a group of people in to clear it out," Link suggested again. Zelda opened her eyes and caught his stare. He saw the minute slump of her shoulders as he continued, "We can search every nook and cranny, wipe out any monsters that may be left, and clear out some of the rubble so it can be hospitable again. The Sanctum is ruined, so that may just have to be gutted entirely. But that can be worked up to. As for now, we can clear out the guest wings and the gatehouses as places of refuge. From there you can oversee the reparations throughout Hyrule and within the Castle Town ruins, as well."

Zelda held his gaze for a long moment before sighing again and folding her arms over her chest. "I suppose it's our only option at this point. I'll send word to all of the tribes and to the stables in a request for able-bodied volunteers to sweep through the Castle with you in a fortnight. Is that sufficient?"

Link stood and rounded the table to put his hands on her shoulders and give her a soft squeeze. Her eyes glistened as she looked at him and he couldn't help but smile and pull her into a hug. "That will do just fine. For now, let's go rest."

Zelda sniffed and pressed her face into his neck, her quiet response, and he led her up the stairs to his bed. He pulled the blankets back and they both crashed into the mattress with satisfied and tired groans. Zelda snuggled up to his chest and she sighed contently, while Link pressed the underside of his chin to the top of her head. For a moment, the only sounds were the rain hitting the window and their soft breathing, lulling Link into slumber.

"You remembered my full name..."

It was soft and quiet, but the statement was clear to him. He tightened his arms and inhaled the smell of her.

"That was one of the first things I remembered. Truly remembered."

"Do you remember everything?"

He shook his head and sighed, "I remember enough. The important things... There's still a lot that's missing."

"Such as?"

Link paused and mulled it over, that empty ache that lingered in his chest at moments like these coming back in full force. "My full name. And birthday. And what my parents looked like, if I had any siblings... What _I_ felt for Mipha... How I learned how to make food..."

"Link Andrus Calatia," Zelda supplied immediately. Link pulled away from her and looked down to meet her eyes and she gave him a small smile and continued, "Your birthday is in the beginning of summer, four months and five days before mine. I found out through one of the other guards and when I asked you, you told me not to worry about it. But I still got you a new pouch that you tried to give back to me. It's the one that you had with you when you first woke up."

His hands gripped at her shirt as the recollection started to trickle in, his heart starting to jump up into his throat.

"Your father looked like you, save for his brown eyes," she added. "He was bigger than you, but I'm sure you'll grow to his height soon..." Her eyes dropped and she began fiddling with a thread on his tunic. "Your mother... she passed before we met. Though from what you told me, she was beautiful and kind and smart. Smarter than she ever felt she was.

"You had a sister, and from what I remember she was living in Faron with your grandparents at the time of the Calamity. Your father sent her away around the time you became my appointed knight because you were practically her sole caregiver once your mother passed."

Link's throat felt tighter and he swallowed as best as he could. "Do... do you think we could find out what happened to her?"

Zelda raised her head and her eyes were full of pity. "Of course... We can definitely do that."

All he could do was nod and try not to let himself become overwhelmed. At that moment, he was starting to feel the vestiges of a vision from the past start to emerge in his mind, but he fought it as best as he could. He didn't want to remember, not like this. Not right now.

With a rough voice, he asked, "And Mipha?"

The pain was evident in Zelda's gaze, but if anyone alive knew what _his_ feelings had been back then, it would be her. Unfortunately when Link had asked Sidon and Dorephan, they only knew of Mipha's affections, not if he truly felt the same way. Even if they did, Link suspected they would have denied the fact that he may not have loved her the way she loved him.

"You... cared for Mipha," she started softly. "But not in the way she wanted. The Champions and I could tell, mainly because she made it blatantly obvious and you were too polite to turn her away. I asked you about her... closer to the Calamity. You told me you felt pressured to accept and return her affections. But they did not exist. At that point in time the pain in my heart had lessened when I learned of your true feelings towards her."

Link accidentally let out a little laugh and Zelda gave him a strange look.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "Were you jealous?"

Zelda sniffed and shook her head, her face taking on the haughty and arrogant look she had plastered on frequently in their early travels. "Absolutely not."

His heart felt lightened, despite the revelations they had been uncovered in the past hours, so he embraced his impulsive nature and captured Zelda's lips in a fierce kiss. In the movements of his mouth against hers, he told her of his devotion to her and only her, how it had been that way since he first knelt at her feet and dedicated his life to her. How his love was doomed, how he didn't care about it. Not then, not now. How the thought of saving her and getting to see her smile once more kept him from giving up, even in the hardest of his struggles.

How he loved her so much that it hurt.

Zelda broke away from the kiss and immediately let out a long yawn. Link couldn't help but chuckle and nuzzle his nose against hers before tightening his hold on her. "Let's get some rest. In the morning we can send out the notices to the races and stables about going to the Castle."

She merely nodded and he could already feel her drifting to sleep against his chest. With a slight chuckle and another smile, Link started to let himself succumb to his exhaustion, as well. If not for the ache that was somewhat soothed by her kiss, he would have. But the thoughts of his family, their souls and existence lost to the Calamity and the Shrine of Resurrection, kept him from truly resting.

His eyes drifted up to the window and he frowned as the moon peeked through one of the clouds. Tomorrow they would send out the missives regarding their journey back to the Castle. And maybe he could start searching for the missing pieces of his former life, as well. Or instead he could leave them be. Who knows what kind of things lingered in his past? Once he and Zelda had discussed their struggles, and many of his stemmed from the expectations of others around him. If he let those go, let them be forgotten with many of his memories, then would that make things easier for him? Would he be able to remain at peace knowing they no longer bind him down to his destiny, now that it is fulfilled?

Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps sleep for once would help clear his mind.

And to the sounds of the rain hitting his roof and Zelda's soft breathing, Link finally fell into a fitful rest.


	5. Loss

**Part Five: Loss**

The Castle was nothing like she remembered it to be.

Pictures that were once sacred and long-standing from the inception of the kingdom were now rotted away, torn from their frames and frayed from the bites of moths. Couches that sat in the foyer of the Observation Room were dusty and far too broken in. Filth had once littered the hallway floors and even the walls, where crumbled rubble was decorated with the broken skeletons of her fallen subjects. Now all that was left was stains from blood and malice and waste.

The stench of monster and decay filled the halls, but not as strongly as it had been when she first arrived with Link less than a month ago. For the most part, the filth was gone and the floors cleared, but the destruction of time-respected heirlooms and decor were still hung in their places, serving as reminders of what she has lost.

Her old room was completely unreachable at this point in time, unless one was like Link and could scale the walls like a Lizalfo. Rubble had blocked the entire staircase that led to that floor, and they soon discovered after clearing that mess that the same went for the entrance to her suite. So for the time being, she was staying in one of the few rooms in the West Wing on the floor beneath her old room. Just an old cot and some sparse blankets, but it was enough to stave off the chill from the stone walls. Link had gathered some of her salvageable items from her room and study, enough to get her by until the entrance was cleared out and she went in herself, but it wasn't quite enough to make her feel at home yet. His presence outside of her room while she tried to sleep was a familiar comfort, though, even if it was all they were allowed to do with others nearby.

However, the library was, for the most part, intact. Books still lined the shelves, but not without some water-logged pages and torn covers. Some floors had crumbled, but that was easily remedied with some metal shelves Link placed in the gaps with the Magnesis rune. She had plucked through the old shelves, remembering where each book she adored had rested for the past century, and was pleased to see most of the ones she frequented were only slightly damaged on their covers. Another lucky find was an old nook that led to the docks, now cleared of the damage and debris that prevented her from finding it during her initial sweep through with Link.

She clutched the Sheikah Slate to her chest as she eyed the next set of shelves nestled under the northern stairs, full of tomes regarding the history of Hyrule, detailed encyclopedias that held information about every single type of flora and fauna within Hyrule and their dates of discovery. There was even one regarding the line of Hylia dating all the way back to the Civil War that had caused the unification of all the races under one banner. Zelda was particularly interested in that one, as it could possibly hold information regarding each time the Soul of the Hero and the Goddess-Blood Princess clashed with Ganon.

When she perused another section, she noticed the material of the shelf itself was different from the others; metal, like the one that led to the docks and the other that connected to what was a hidden bunker before it was demolished by the Sheikah column erupting from the ground.

She hummed and brought the Slate forward. Sure enough, as soon as she activated the Magnesis rune, the shelf lit up on her screen as a dark pink.

Puzzling.

Zelda activated the rune and quickly pulled the shelf out of its place, revealing another small nook under the stairs. The air was thick with dust, but the items inside were still almost completely intact, untouched by the filth that was Ganon's malice. A Royal Guard's shield laid against the opposite wall of the opening, while a desk and small bookshelf rested against the wall to her left. On the desk was an open journal, and as she approached she immediately recognized the handwriting as her father's.

She took a step back and raised her hand to her chest to calm the sudden hammering of her heart.

This was _his_ study.

Her eyes roamed around once more, taking in the new nook of the castle she had never seen. There were books on his shelves, one with faded gold letters depicting a story of a soul-splitting sword and another detailing extinct races that once lived in her great country. A month-eaten painting hung above the desk, but the frayed edges of the canvas were painted in colors that she knew had been the background of the last Royal Family portrait he had commissioned before her mother passed. She had stared at that painting enough in her youth to have that particular shade of blue ingrained in the back of her eyes. Cobwebs covered most of the books and paintings, so her eyes naturally drifted to the open journal on the desk once more.

His particular curvature in his handwriting was unmistakable, even after a century of fading into the parchment. She noticed there was a disruption of the dust on his desk, and the pages were relatively clean of the layer that seemed to coat everything else in the room. Her mind immediately went to the knight that was in the Guard's Chambers with Hoz, his new second-in-command, going over the class they were going to be starting for Guards coming back to the Castle. As of right now, he had no idea she was here, about to divulge in her father's secret thoughts.

Her hand trembled as it flipped the pages to the beginning, starting on the first page and it's contents. The date threw her off and her heart pressed against her chest, anxiety and grief starting to consume every beat.

The moment she started reading the first words, her world started to crumble, bit by bit with every painstakingly horrid word that Rhoam had penned on that damned paper. By the time Link found her some time later, she was curled against the wall with the journal clutched her chest and tears burning trails down her cheeks, a sharp ache festering in her heart and stealing her breath since she finished reading those cursed pages.

He rushed to her and knelt down, his cool hands wiping away her anguish and his soft voice shooing away her agony. Through her shuddering sobs, she barely registered him slipping his arms under her knees and lifting her to his chest. He stood and carried her out of the study and through the haunted halls of her abandoned home. Her heart thundered rancorously as her grief started anew. Her hands tightened on the journal and more tears spilled from her eyes and down onto Link's shirt. Not once did his steps falter.

As her tears started to cease and her breathing evened, she vaguely noticed Link had brought her to the dining hall and was starting to set her down in one of the remaining chairs. She didn't meet his eyes, instead her gaze was unfocused but directed at the blue-bound book in her grasp. The moment his touch left her body, however, she felt herself become more aware and immediately started to panic. Her hand shot out and grasped his wrist, the bare skin cool against her hot fingers.

"D-don't go..."

Zelda met Link's eyes as he smiled gently and knelt down so their faces were level. "I'm not going far. I promise."

He kept his word and simply strode over to the cooking pot over the fire in the hearth. She watched through the lingering tears on her lashes as he pulled out some ingredients from his pouch and started roasting them over the flames, his hums barely audible over her shuddering breaths. A beat later and he was walking back over to her, a plate in his hands and a wondrous look on his face. With a muted flourish, he lowered the plate to her.

"Your favorite, right?"

The breath she managed to grasp was stolen from her for the second time that afternoon when her eyes took in his creation. On the plate was a slice of fruitcake, topped with a dollop of cream and slices of berries like she had enjoyed in her youth. The beautiful sight was juxtaposed with the chip and crack on the porcelain plate, another loss from her century in stasis, and Zelda had to stop herself from crying once more. A perfect metaphor for the world she found herself deposited in.

Her hands trembled as she reached forward and took the plate. She rested it on her lap atop her father's journal, effectively blocking its offending blue color from her watery vision. "Thank you."

Link did not reply. Instead, she watched him settle himself down so he was sitting across from her, looking to her with those eyes as she took the fork on the plate and sunk it into the spongy cake. The moment the sweet dessert hit her tongue, part of the knot in her stomach lessened and her shoulders drooped away from her ears. Before she knew it, the whole plate was picked clean and her stomach was delightfully full.

"Do you want to talk about it now?"

She mulled over his words as her eyes drifted to the book peeking out from underneath the plate. "No... Though I suppose that won't help in the slightest, will it?"

"No, but I won't make you do something you don't want to do."

Zelda's lips wobbled on its own accord, her body feeling flush with the emotions that were starting to sweep through her again, and she squeezed her eyes shut as her hands tightened around the journal.

"Zelda."

She listened.

"If you feel overwhelmed, we can always go back to Hateno." Link paused and she could imagine him tightening his hands into fists as he mulled over his next statement. "Being here is effecting you, I can see it."

Zelda's heart slammed against her ribs and she fought down the shout that forced its way into her throat. Yes, of course she was feeling overwhelmed. This was the first time she was truly traversing the Castle since the morning of her birthday. Otherwise, she didn't truly step foot inside when she came to face Ganon alone. Her entire home was essentially destroyed, and even though she came to terms with it all about thirty years into the struggle with Ganon, seeing it all with her own eyes was a completely different story. And then the discovery of her father's journal and the words written inside was like a sledgehammer to a dam. All of those emotions, the pain, the anger, her grief over the losses that Hyrule had to endure, to suffer through... It all came crashing into her like rushing water.

Her hands trembled and she shook her head vigorously. "We have to. In order to take the steps towards healing, there are certain things that are necessary. Like coming here and seeing with my own eyes what happened in the past century."

Link sighed and she heard him shuffle in his seat. "We don't have to rush this, Zelda. We can leave and come back once everything has settled down a little more. I can have Hoz take over with the training of the new recruits and I can come with you. We can go spend more time at the settlements, oversee the reparations. Now that the treasury has been found and everything is being funded, all of these things are moving along. We don't have to sit here and wait until its finished."

Her eyes burned and a pit formed in her stomach. This man...

"Zelda, what's wrong?"

That was it. Her tears started falling from her eyes, pattering on the cover of her father's journal and staining it. Her heart stuttered and her breath came in gasps as she sobbed out once more.

"I'm sorry!" she blubbered as her hand flew up to her face to wipe away her tears before he could. "I-I just... it's s-so hard b-being here and seeing the d-destruction..."

Her mind went to her memories of the Castle, with its high white towers and banners of red and blue billowing in the wind. With the smell of cherry blossoms filling the air, the scent stronger when the Southern Winds blew through. Her heart got painfully tight when she remembered the guards who protected her before Link was appointed as her knight, Talo and Colin, and their laughter as it filled the halls outside her bedroom. The attendants who tended to her and knew almost everything about her, Nayla and Densi, and their giggles as they spoke of Link in their hushed tones.

The food Dente would cook for her when he knew she was up late reading over ancient texts.

Urbosa's laugh. Revali's wit. Daruk's optimism. Mipha's smile... Her father's former warmth.

Her tears became hotter as she sobbed once more and cried out, "It's just too much! I've lost everything!"

"You haven't lost me."

Immediately, Zelda's tears stopped and she stilled. She looked up at him, seeing that wonderful and soft smile that sent her over the moon before the Calamity, and the ache in her heart ceased. It was in that moment she saw some of the things she had overlooked since they first reunited: the scar that cut through the outer corner of his left eyebrow, the discoloration from healed burns peeking out from the collar of his shirt, the weariness in his soulful eyes... He was just as tired as she. Though he may not remember this world as vividly as she had, he still suffered from the past. How she seemed to forget his struggles in lieu of her own... Maybe he just handled them better.

Zelda ducked her head in shame and sniffed up some of the snot that trickled out of her nose. "I am sorry. Sometimes I forget."

"Me too."

She blinked and then snapped her head back up to look him in the eyes. The mirth there was quite plain, matching the amused grin that now graced his lips.

"You heathen," she breathed out in a light laugh. "What would I do without you?"

"Wallow in self-pity a little longer, I suppose."

Zelda sighed and handed the journal to him, a silent plea that he took with grace. He set it down on the table behind him before he turned back around and took her shaking hands between his.

"It'll be alright."

Their eyes met and her tremors started to calm. "What do we do now?"

"You tell me, Your Highness."

Zelda sighed and looked over his shoulder to the broken windows that led to the path leading up to the gatehouses. "Well... I received word that most of the settlements that requested aid are almost finished with their reparations. It's Purah who has almost bankrupted me with her century of research grant requests. The Gatepost town is almost finished, which is a good sign for where everything else is headed."

"And of Castle Town?" Link asked, softly urging her to continue. "When will that be started?"

Zelda chewed on her lip. "After everything else is finished. The bridges and stables need to be finished before we even consider fixing up Castle Town and the Castle itself. For all its worth, I want my people to be safe and protected before I even consider it for myself."

"Princess-"

"I have you for protection," she cut in, sensing where he was going to go. Their eyes met again and she smiled. "Besides, once you get the training underway for the new Royal Guard, I can rest easy. For now, we keep the amount of people here limited and work on getting the rest of Hyrule up and running again. And perhaps send word to the our neighboring countries about the monarchy being back in place. I'm sure Labrynna and Holodrum are still stable countries, even after all this time. Unless they finally acted on their millennia-long tension in my absence..."

"I wouldn't know," he replied earnestly. Zelda stared at him for a minute, deep in thought, and Link shrugged and added, "Let's get the Castle finished before anyone comes to visit."

"Consider it done," she noted to herself. She started fiddling with her hair and added, "And maybe we should get rid of all the Guardian shells before we do anything else. I won't be comfortable until they're all at the bottom of the moat or melted down to make your recruits' armor."

She didn't realize Link was holding her other hand until he squeezed it and leaned forward to kiss her gently on the lip she had been worrying between her teeth. "It'll be fine. I believe in you."

Her heart warmed and she quickly wrapped her arms around his shoulders, starved of his touch since they arrived at the Castle. Link responded quickly and his arms were tight around her waist as he pulled her into his lap. His hands splayed on her back and he inhaled deeply.

"I miss being able to touch you whenever I want," he murmured against her chest. "With all of the people here, it's been harder to get a moment alone."

"I know," she lamented quietly. "But I don't know if it would be in the best interest of the people to so publicly display our... _affections_ when everything is so new and raw. They need to see stability in their future Queen, not a lovesick teenager with an unstable mentality. I have to appear strong, and I can do that with you by my side, but I don't want them to think of me as weak or incapable because I need you as my lover and not just my protector."

He sighed and nuzzled her neck before pressing a soft kiss there. The hotness of his lips caused her to shiver and hum, her body immediately reacting to the touch of his. She could feel him smirk against her skin before pressing another kiss right under the curve of her jaw.

"Link..." she warned as she tightened her hold around his shoulders.

"No one is nearby," he murmured against her skin, the feather-light brushes of his lips sending shivers down her arms again. "They're all either outside or down in the Guard's Chamber."

Zelda glanced over her shoulder at the closed doors that led to the halls and while she debated the thought, Link bit down on her nipple through her shirt. She hissed and her hips jolted, but she did not say another word. Link's eyebrows were up, a silent question and request, and she nodded before she reached between them and quickly started rubbing him through his trousers.

Link hummed and lifted her outer shirt to her neck and began untucking her undershirt from her pants. His hands quickly slid up her stomach and ribs and cupped her breasts. She sighed and kissed him again, her hand slipping beneath his waistband and gripping his shaft lightly. He grunted into her mouth and his palms grazed her nipples as he thrust his tongue against hers. In time with their kisses, Zelda stroked him. Her hands, soft against his velvety shaft, tightened and pulled, earning sharp exhales and rough growls from the back of his throat. Link's hands massaged her chest and waist, slowly and deliberately making their way down to her pants in such a teasing manner that she was practically panting like a little dog when he reached her waistband.

Her hand tugged him out of his pants and she worked to shuck them down his hips to give her more access as he shoved her belt up to her waist and started pulling her pants off, as well. Her panties felt wet as he tugged them to the side and his hands started rubbing her furiously. She gasped and almost cried out but any noise was swallowed by his eager mouth.

For a long moment, they rubbed each other in the silence of the dining hall, the only sounds obscene and wet. After a few more tugs, Link made Zelda stand and he shimmied her pants further down her legs and knelt down in front of her. His mouth immediately latched onto her womanhood and Zelda had to brace herself against the chair she had been sitting in beforehand. His tongue lapped up her fluids and dragged against her clit in such a vulgar manner she was cursing. She looked down and saw him stroking himself as he pleasured her, the sight so filthy and arousing it made her whole center throb. Unintentionally, a moan escaped her so loudly that it practically echoed around the room.

Link stilled and without removing his mouth from her, his eyes darted to the doors and he listened. Vaguely, she too could hear the sounds of approaching footsteps as they traveled down the hall. Their eyes met and Zelda felt a sort of panic set in as a voice called out to them.

"Sir Link? Where did you go?"

Link detached himself from her, not without her pitiful whine at the loss, and they both scrambled to get their clothes back to their rightful places before Hoz discovered them. Zelda's shirt was quickly tucked in and straightened while Link stuffed himself back in his pants and covered the evidence of their tryst with his tunic. Quickly, he pulled a book out of his pouch and handed it to her, not one word passed between them, and she sat on her chair as he rushed back to the cooking pot. The second he tossed a few ingredients inside, the door to the dining hall was opened and Hoz stepped in.

"There you are! I was wondering what was taking you so long!"

Zelda looked up from the page she hadn't been reading and saw Hoz striding over to the cooking pot.

"Hungry again?"

Link shrugged with a sheepish look on his face and gestured towards where Zelda was sitting. Hoz followed Link's thumb and when he spotted her he gasped and gave her a full bow.

"My apologies, Your Highness," he said softly. "Sir Link had left to find you a while ago and I didn't know where he had gone. We weren't finished with the plans for the training hall so I was getting a little concerned."

"It's no issue," she replied as calmly and levelly as she could. "Link found me and I mentioned I was feeling a little peckish, so he brought me here to whip up a snack."

She ignored the wet feeling of her arousal and Link's saliva sliding between her lips as she readjusted in her seat.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then," Hoz commented as he straightened up and smiled. "I was about to go meet up with Brigo and do our trip back to the Riverside Stable, since it seems like Sir Link is preoccupied for now."

She didn't miss the way the tips of Link's ears turned red or the crude gesture he made towards Hoz as the other soldier exited the room. By the time Link was finishing up making his impromptu dish, Zelda had gotten fully immersed in the book he had handed her, a Guide to Bow Craftsmanship and Use, and had almost completely forgot what they had been doing before Hoz showed up.

Unfortunately for Link, before they could go back to what they had started, Chabi, Garill, and Botrick had come to get him for the exhibition to Castle Town. With a sigh, Link gave her one last lingering look before following the others out of the dining hall and out of the Castle. By that time Lukan the Gerudo had come back from the east wing of the Castle and took up her post as Zelda's protector for the evening.

As night rolled around, Zelda gathered her father's journal with the book Link had given her and made her way back to her temporary room, heart and thoughts content with the way Link comforted her in her time of distress and anguish. After all, he knew her. He knew what would bring her back from her despair.


	6. Recall

**Part Six:** **Recall**

The sound of a whetstone dragging against steel rang against the stone walls of the home, echoing at odd intervals as he inspected his work. Zelda was staring out the window, eyes keenly watching for the Rito messenger to come back with the correspondence regarding their excursion into the Castle. If she was honest with herself, which happened often these days, she would say that she was nervous and afraid of what the other tribes would say in response.

Perhaps she was too pessimistic, an unfortunate side effect from playing house with the embodiment of malice for the past century, but she was sure that many would cower at the thought of entering the Castle so soon after Ganon was defeated. However, according to Link, people claimed the Castle only became a hot bed for active malice and monsters at the time that Link activated the tower on the Great Plateau. Perhaps Ganon's reach was limited until her power started to wane and he felt the presence of the Hero roaming Hyrule once more...

She heaved another sigh and her eyes drifted up to the picture on the wall of the Champions of old. She was surprised to see that it had lasted so well for the past century, and she was desperate to find out how Link had gotten a hold of it. In fact, many relics in his little home were from the century prior, trinkets found in the Castle or something that stirred memories in his vacant mind. Like the remnants of a Royal Guard's sword that was rusted and dirty, but the faded engraving on the hilt that told her it had belonged to Link's father. Or the book open on his desk, a journal swiped from ruins in Faron that had poetic entries describing her babe with piercing blue eyes and hair the color of Gerudo sands. Zelda assumed this once belonged to his mother. His name in the superfluous script was the biggest clue. There were also many little things, a stone with a glassy sheen that reflected and scattered sunlight into a million rainbows, a feather tied to a pencil, a scrap of paper with words written in Zoran... So telling of him and his personality, but so unfamiliar and different to her at the same time.

Zelda moved to the edge of the loft, leaning over the railing to look down at her housemate. Link was still sharpening a broadsword he had taken from a Lizalfo, his eyes distant and clouded. Zelda frowned.

"Hey."

Immediately that dullness receded and his eyebrows furrowed before he blinked a few times and looked up towards her, a question in his gaze.

"Are you alright?"

Her voice seemed to draw him back in from what seemed to be some sort of internal strife, and he nodded quickly before dropping his head back to the sword. His eyes were more focused now instead of in that far-off place. Zelda felt her lips tug downward on their own accord and she made her way down the stairs and to the table. Link barely registered her presence until she was kneeling in front of him and he almost hit her in the nose with the whetstone.

There was a panicked and frantic look in his eyes as he finally noticed her and her stunned face. As he dropped the whetstone and his sword to the ground and reached for her, he exclaimed, "Please don't scare me like that! I could have hurt you."

She batted his hand away from her cheek and held his wrist still, and suddenly she could see the duress in his eyes and feel the slight tremors in his hand. "Link, something's wrong. Please, talk to me."

Link's eyes darted back and forth between hers, manic and feral before slowly calming to his typical stoic. "I'm sorry. I was just... thinking."

"About?"

He sighed and looked over to where the Champions weapons were all hanging on his wall. He chewed on his lip as he mulled his jaw, a habit Zelda realized had lingered from before his stay in the Shrine of Resurrection. Her heart ached at the implication and she laid her hand on his knee to comfort him.

"I..." he inhaled deeply and dropped his head. When he lifted his eyes to meet hers, he asked quietly, "What was I like? Before."

"Before?"

His shoulders dropped and he let his hands limply lay in his lap. "Before the Calamity."

Her heart ached for this man. "Oh."

He sighed and rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. At that moment, she was keenly aware of his scars. Without his typical white undershirt, she could see all of the ones on his arms and upper chest and the way they pulled across the muscles and golden skin. They seemed almost painted onto his skin, the muscles underneath smooth and taut, unlike they had been a century ago after he fell.

"You were quiet," she started softly, causing him to peek through his fingers and listen intently. "Very reserved and polite. Not that you aren't now, but at first it appeared to come off as arrogance more so than shyness.

"More often than not, it was hard to understand what you were thinking," she added. She watched as his brow furrowed in confusion and continued, "It was puzzling, truly, when I thought I could get an idea of what you were feeling or what was on your mind but be completely wrong about my assumptions. Frankly it was frustrating, especially when you first were appointed to guard me. But I learned it was because-"

"With so much at stake, and so many eyes upon me, I felt it necessary to stay strong and to silently bear any burden," he murmured flatly with that distant look in his eyes, his hands lowering back to his lap before he met her puzzled gaze and added, "A feeling you know too well."

Where had she heard that before? It was so familiar it tickled the back of her mind like she had-

"You read my diary?"

He chuckled lightly and nodded - a sudden and great change that set her heart soaring. "Apparently I was a glutton?"

Zelda felt her cheek heat in embarrassment and she replied, "Still are."

"Fair enough."

"And you were kind and understanding." Link's frown returned and she wanted so desperately to know why his traits troubled him. "Urbosa helped fill the void that was left when my mother passed, and I had good friendships with the other Champions, but they were nothing compared to what I had with you. You listened, you cared. You comforted me when I was at my lowest and encouraged me when I felt like giving up."

She took his hands between hers and squeezed. "In fact, your support helped me get to the top of Mount Lanayru. If you hadn't been there for me, I would have given up. And I never would have accessed my power."

"I had to die in order for you to unlock it." His voice was hard and full of self-loathing, as was his expression. "I didn't do my job and you had to face Ganon alone for a century to make up for it."

Oh, this man. She pulled his hands to her chest and laid one palm flat above her heart. "Do you feel that?"

He nodded.

Zelda did her best to blink away the tears that were starting to burn in her eyes and said in a watery voice, "It beats because of you. Without you, I would have been lost forever. Hyrule would be in ruin, Ganon victorious. Without you, I would have had no reason to carry on for as long as I did."

His head dropped and she could feel him shaking again.

"Can I tell you a story?"

He nodded.

"On my birthday, we left the Castle before dawn..."

 ** _~~..~~_**

"Are you sure you do not want to sleep a little longer? The sun is not yet risen."

Zelda tightened her grip on the reins and she nodded. "The sooner we arrive at Mount Lanaryu, the sooner I can access my power."

She could see Link frown out of the corner of her eye. "As you wish, Princess."

They rode out of the Castle ranch before the sun even attempted to crest over the mountains and headed east towards Necluda. They crossed the Rebonae Bridge in complete silence, the sounds of their horses' hooves slapping against the path as they made their way to the Sahasra Slope. At this time of day, there were no travelers on the road, so Zelda was feeling blessed at the lack of audience seeing her head towards her inevitable failure. What a way to spend her birthday...

Her father left her an official memo on her desk in her study the week prior, stating she was to forgo the typical coming-of-age celebration and head straight to Mount Lanayru first thing. She immediately told Link they would leave before first light the morning of her seventeenth birthday. He appeared to be concerned at her adamant request, but he listened to his charge nonetheless. The night before they were set to leave, their packs were ready before she bothered to settle down and attempt to get a wink of sleep.

Not that it came.

Link insisted they stop for breakfast in Kakariko before they headed to the Lanaryu Promenade, and the almost desperate look on his face was the only reason she even consented to stopping. He watched her as she attempted to eat a meat and rice ball, eyes keen like a hawk's, and she did her best to swallow the tiny bites she could barely manage to take.

Not that it mattered.

She changed at Impa's home, leaving her regular traveling clothes folded and tucked away for when she would return. Her prayer dress was especially uncomfortable today; the straps on the sandals were not tying well enough and the belt kept digging into her ribs. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed, noting the dark circles under her eyes and the dulled appearance of her skin. Such was her tragedy: miserable and tired in the face of inevitable approaching evil.

After bidding Impa farewell - receiving a fond birthday wish from the Sheikah in the process - she strode down the stairs of the ancient home and met Link at the bottom. He smiled at her, the only truly reassuring thing that entire day, and stepped to the side so she could pass. She barely knew the way, so they walked side by side up the hill that led out of the village and to the West Gate. They passed the Great Fairy's Fountain, which Link started shuffling her past even quicker than before, and made their way through the canyon. By the time they passed through the old gates and started traveling east, the sun was quickly approaching its apex in the sky.

They reached the East Gates by lunch time and stopped for a quick bite. Link wolfed down a skewer of meat and mushrooms after handing her a bowl of curried rice. While she nibbled - her appetite still lacking - Link continued to rummage through his pack.

"Here."

She looked up to see him holding a bottle of what she assumed was spicy elixir in his outstretched hands, and another three tucked into the pouch at his side.

"I can't have you walking up a blistering mountain with just that on."

Zelda set her half-finished bowl to the side and took the elixir from him. Their fingers brushed and she had to stop herself from feeling flushed at the contact. He's touched her before, on her elbow or her back or shoulder, but rarely her hands. And typically she wore gloves. Today, her hands were bare.

"That should last until we get to the top," he added as he stood and looked towards the mountain, the biting wind coming down from the peak pushing his hair off his forehead. "The others are for the trip back."

"Do you not intend on letting me stay in the waters long?" Zelda couldn't stop herself from asking. Link turned his head down to her and frowned in confusion. "There appear to be enough elixirs for each of us to have two. If the one I have now only gets me to the top, then I will be short some elixir on the way down."

Link gave her that soft smile and patted his pouch. "There's only one for me."

"Why? Are you intending on freezing to death on the mountain?" Zelda couldn't stop herself from scowling at his lack of insight.

"Yours is stronger," he replied and took out a separate bottle for her to look at. He pointed to the label on the top and added, "You're wearing less, so you need a stronger elixir. Mine aren't as strong but last longer."

She analyzed the labels on the bottles and frowned at their differences. Now that she could see it, Link's was lighter in color, more orange and scarlet, while hers was closer to burgundy and ruby.

"Mine should last me until sundown."

She let in a stuttering breath, uneven and staggered, and fought the tears that were starting to well in her eyes as she bowed her head. He could not see her feel so weak. She had once again assumed wrong of her knight, thought less of him and questioned him, and it stung. The shame of her failures, even the ones as minute as second-guessing Link, were starting to stack too high for her to balance.

His hand came into her view, resting on top of hers that held her elixir. She snapped her head up to look at him, kneeling in front of her, with that same soft smile on his face.

"Relax. You're going to do great."

"How are you so certain?"

There was a shout of greeting coming from the Promenade, causing both Zelda and Link to break their tense eye contact to see who had shouted for them. She saw Urbosa and Mipha walking together behind Daruk, who was grinning from ear to ear. They reached the Hylians with broad smiles and well-wishes, all hugging Zelda and reiterating their faith in her before they bid luck to Link, as well.

When she met his eyes again, silently telling him it was time, Link gave her another one of his small smiles as he shrugged and started leading her towards the mountain. When they reached the small cliff face they would need to climb, Link took his elixir and knocked the top against hers. The loss of his touch left an ache in her chest and she followed his lead by uncorking the bottle. Together, they downed their drinks and collectively shivered at the sudden warmth flowing through their veins.

Link flashed her a toothy grin and gestured for her to follow him towards the Naydra Snowfield. The cold air hit her bare skin like a biting vice, but the warmth from the elixir in her belly and the man to her side deterred its blow. They followed an unmarked path that spiraled up the mountain. Zelda looked up to the icy peak and paused when she thought she saw a flicker of long shadows twisting in the clouds.

"Link..."

He stopped when he noticed she had paused in her steps, then turned and made his way back to her side. She felt her hands get clammy with sweat, despite the bitter cold swirling around her, and she met his certain gaze.

"How are you so sure I will do great?"

His smile, that stupid, reassuring and affectionate smile, grew and she was surprised to see it reach his eyes. Almost every smile before had been small and quick, not broad enough to make the sides of his eyes crinkle like this one, and he took her hands with his. "Because you're destined for greatness. It's been written since the beginning of time that you were meant for this. If you don't find the way now, I know you will soon. I have faith in you."

If it weren't for his strong hands holding her steady, Zelda would have collapsed with sobs in the snow. No one had ever had such faith and resolute belief in her. Not since her mother. Link- _Link!_ \- was here, telling her she would find a way, because he just _knew_ she could?! That was enough to bolster her confidence and get her to the top of the mountain with just her sheer will alone.

"Thank you."

He gave her a small bow, typical of him, and started leading her up the spiraling path to the top of the mountain. And when the Spring was finally in view, she didn't absolutely need that little push he gave her towards the water, but it was definitely welcome. After all, she had a destiny to fulfill. And no matter what, he'd be by her side.

 ** _~~..~~_**

"Don't you see?" Zelda said right as Link bowed his head once more. "Your absolute faith in me was crucial in helping me unlock my powers. I had no doubt in my mind that I loved you then, and you encouraged me more than I could ever truly grasp. It was my love for you that was the final catalyst. Don't ever doubt how important you are to me."

That was true, wasn't it? His faith and devotion helped her unlock that crucial part of her being. Had he not shown her the upmost of trust and belief, she would have failed. They would have failed. _Hyrule_ would have failed. In the end, he knew what to say and what to do to help her achieve her lifelong purpose. He knew what would make the difference in the end, intentional or not. He still knew it, despite the differences in his self and his own perception of it. And that included what he thought would be best for her now...

Zelda took a deep breath and her hands tightened on his shoulders. "Alright. We'll go to the Springs. Today."

Link's head shot up and he frowned deeply as he took her hands in his and held on with a light grip. "What?"

She flipped her hands over and wove their fingers together. "You've always thought and known what was best for me and what was best for Hyrule, even if they weren't the same things. If going to the Springs will help me regain my power and birthright, then so be it."

His eyes darted back and forth between hers, deep in thought and something else unreadable. Not for the first time, she felt almost uncomfortable under his piercing scrutiny and she was tempted to demand he stop, but with his agile grace he stood and swept her into his arms and started striding towards the stairs before she could protest.

 _"Link!"_ she gasped. "What are you doing?"

There was that stern determination on his face, the same look he got when he was focused on his forms or plotting his attack on an unsuspecting monster camp. They reached the bed rapidly and Link lowered her down with little ceremony but plenty of care. Before she could question him, he was on top of her, kissing her hard and pressing her down into the mattress. The familiar feel of him on top of her was thrilling, quickly causing her veins to quickly be flooded with the hot rush of arousal. He pressed their hips together, grinding down against her and sending sparks through her nerves.

Her surprised gasp tapered off into a pitiful whimper, silenced and swallowed by the lips covering her mouth. Her hands roamed his shoulders, letting herself truly get lost in the touch of his body and the press of his skin against hers. He broke the kiss to quickly and she was about to whine at the loss of him, but when his lips and _teeth_ latched onto her jaw and moved down to her neck, she couldn't help but let out a keening sort of sound at the sensation. Her head spun and every nerve stood up on edge, drawn to him and his clever tongue as it flicked against a sensitive patch of skin under her ear. His breath tickled her shoulder, but strangely enough all it did was heighten the state of arousal she found herself in.

Link's hands were pining her down, gripping hard on her hips and holding her in place as he rocked against her. She let her legs fall to the side, opening herself to him and giving him a place to settle comfortably, and he took advantage of it. Every press and grind of his hips against her sent shocks down her legs and deep into her core. Every thrust against her was timed with his nibbles and drags of his teeth against her neck. The combination of sensations made her dizzy and incoherent, her words a litany of praises and mumbled curse words in Gerudo as she inched closer and closer to completion by Link's rocking hips.

She could feel her nipples grazing against the fabric of her shirt, dragging back and forth as Link moved against her. The sparks it sent down her spine gave her chills, adding to the already maddening feel of his lips and teeth on her throat and hips against hers. She cried out as she got closer and closer, her core tightening and begging for something to fill it as it twisted and coiled and hummed and plead for more.

Link's breathing was getting ragged and hot, blasting against her already feverish skin as he increased his pace and tightened his hold on her hips. The second he leaned back up and kissed her again, his hips ground down _hard_ against her and everything exploded. She moaned into his mouth, the stars in her eyes blending in with his disheveled visage, and the hot rush of her climax spiraled through her. Her cries were elongated as he continued to grind himself against her, rocking faster and faster to reach his completion with her and-

 _KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!_ "Princess Zelda? Are you in here?"

With a surprised yelp, Link tumbled off of her and the bed like he had been doused in cold water. He landed flat on his back with a sharp exhale and stared up at the ceiling like it held answers to every question in the universe. Zelda tried to calm herself and her thudding heart, lest she be discovered in Link's bed and uncouth like a deviant unlike her typical stature.

"Your Highness? Are you home?"

Zelda cleared her throat and swiftly left the bed. A dull throbbing between her legs was persistently tickling her awareness, and she spared a glance down at Link, who seemed to not be faring much better. She could see his erection tenting in his trousers and the almost-pained look clear on his face as he tried to will it away.

"I'll go see who it is," she whispered. "Lay low and if they ask I'll say you're out hunting or something."

His response was a thumbs up and she took that as her queue to go answer the door. She smoothed her hair down to the best of her ability and descended the stairs as gracefully as she could. When she swung the door open, she was greeted with the sight of the Rito messenger that had taken her letters the week before.

"Hello!" she greeted as politely as she could considering what she had just been indulging in. "I apologize for taking so long. I was deeply immersed in my research notes."

The Rito, Romali, gave her a slight bow and polite smile when he straightened back up. "It's no trouble at all, Your Majesty. I was here to bring you the correspondence from your summons."

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she took the bundle of letters he had held out for her. "I didn't expect responses so soon!"

"The remaining people of Hyrule are eager to move on from the destruction of the past century," Romali commented as he adjusted his bag and took a step back from the porch. "Any step towards healing and peace are worth it in their eyes."

Despite her flustered internal strife, Zelda felt tears start to spring forward at the remark. All she could do was thank Romali for his help before he started the trek towards the main street of Hateno. Once the door was closed behind her, Zelda clutched the letters to her chest and sighed heavily. Things were going so well! Soon, they would be traversing Hyrule once more, visiting the Springs and then finally returning to the Castle to stake their claim on the land.

"Pack your bags, Link!" she declared with a triumphant laugh as she made her way up the stairs. "We have a country to rebuild!"

When she reached the top, she saw Link was still laying on the floor. At least his... _problem..._ was mostly deflated. She giggled at his predicament and set the letters down on the desk, intent on opening them as he packed up for the trip.

"Would you like me to..." she cleared her throat and felt her face flush when his dark eyes pinned her down, "Ahem, _fix_ your problem?"

Link's head fell back to the floor and he sighed before rubbing his face and sitting up. "No. We need to get going if you want to visit the Springs before we go back to the Castle."

She gave him a small smile and leaned down to give him a kiss. "Let's get moving then."

* * *

 _tbc._


	7. Council

_**A/N** YAY THE CHAPTER WHERE LINK THE TWINK FINALLY GETS TO CUM!_

 _If you haven't noticed, I have changed the format of the story to list each part individually so it's easier to jump around in the order that I will be giving you all at the end of the story. I hope that makes it easier for you guys to follow._

 _Lastly, I've taken liberties with where Holodrum and Labrynna are located in relation to Hyrule based on the Breath of the Wild map. I headcannon that Holodrum is directly west of Hyrule, sharing the border of the Gerudo Desert. Labrynna, however, I believe to be north/northwest of Hyrule. It basically shares its border with Holodrum directly west of Tabantha across that huge canyon. I'd draw a map but I don't want to lol_

* * *

 **Part Seven: Council**

The sun rose differently the morning of the council meeting. For some reason it seemed... delayed. As if it was hearing Zelda's request to hinder the arrival of the selected interim council members for today's inevitable summit and the topic at hand: The Fate of Hyrule.

She rolled over onto her stomach and groaned, content to hide away in her old room until the end of time, but she knew she had a duty to fulfill. Unfortunately for her, it meant speaking with people she had barely met and requesting they support her proposed ideas for upcoming projects and policies she wished to implement, and more importantly her claim as future Queen of a long destroyed kingdom.

Easier said than done.

There was a soft knocking on her door, signalling her it was time to awaken, and she muttered under her breath that her dutiful knight had impeccable timing.

"And hearing, Princess."

"Shove off, Calatia."

The door opened and Link slipped in with a small tray. She noticed he was wearing his Champion's Tunic, which was uncommon as of late. Link was frequently favoring his nondescript Hylian Tunic or his climbing shirt when he was working outside. He typically only wore the offending shirt when they were meeting with village leaders or when they first arrived at the Castle, so the sight of that familiar blue only further reminded her of today's agenda.

"Omelet and fruit water, Your Highness."

Zelda sat up as he approached her bed, smooth and fluid like he always was, and she sighed, "You know I was joking when I said you were going to be my chef from now on, right?"

Link nodded and set the tray on her lap, a small smile on his lips. "Until you permanently find someone else, I'd be happy to do it. Besides, Stamm made the fruit water."

"How kind of him," she remarked with a snicker, Link joining her. She met his eyes with a grateful smile and quickly set to eating her food. Link wandered to the door again, slow and purposeful as he nibbled on an apple he had taken from his pack. There was a strange stiffness to his shoulders that she recognized was from unease, but not from her.

"Something on your mind, Sir Link?"

He turned to look from a painting on the wall to her and he shook his head. "Lots to do today, that's all. Many of your esteemed guests are starting to show up. Prince Sidon of the Zora swam in shortly before sunrise, and Teba of the Rito flew in shortly thereafter. One of Hoz's men, Oren, scouted a traveling caravan from the East, most likely housing the entourage from Hateno and Kakariko."

"Any news from the Gerudo or Gorons?"

Link nodded and tossed his apple core out the open window. "Yunobo arrived last night while you were sleeping. And from what I was told, Teake is coming in Riju's place, as the Chief has been wrapped up in a civil dilemma regarding two of her people accidentally marrying the same man."

Zelda grimaced. "May the Goddess protect her during the conflict."

Link smiled and he walked over to her closet. As he pulled out her dress and took out the diamond circlet she would be wearing with it, he added, "Anessa asked that I inform you that she and Ali will be coming mid-morning to help you dress. And she also is fine with you doing your own hair, but she draws the line at your dress because you can't tie the back by yourself."

At the statement, Zelda scowled and she pulled herself out of bed, pushing her nightgown down her thighs in the process. "Why did Impa insist I still use my old dress? Despite the fact that she kept it in perfect condition the past century, it is terribly uncomfortable and I can easily wear my traveling clothes to this meeting."

Link's unenthused face was almost hysterical. "Your traveling clothes are no more suited for this meeting than mine. Now Princess, I will take my leave so you may freshen up."

There was a twinkle in his eyes when he gave her a short bow and strode towards her door. Had they not agreed to be more private with their relationship, she would have suggested he help her. But alas, she knew what she was doing when she said they needed to be discrete and ease into letting their... circumstance, being known to the people once things were more stable. Unfortunately that meant bathing alone when in the Castle.

Now she just had to bathe, quickly fix her hair, and wait for Anessa and Ali to show up to help her dress. Then, at high noon, the summit would begin.

By the time her hair was braided and her dress tied into place, Zelda was ready to run away. As she slid Link's diamond circlet on her head in lieu of her missing crown, she made her way to the door. He was there to met her outside of her suite, an achingly familiar sight amidst the wreckage that was her home, and began to lead her to the gatehouse where the summit would be held. As they walked, he murmured softly about the others who had arrived, including Bolson and Beedle for input as she requested. Dorian had come to represent the Sheikah in Impa's place. According to Link, Impa had initially asked Paya to come in her stead, but the young girl nearly fainted at the thought.

As for others representing the people of Hyrule, Reede of Hateno and Rozel of Lurelin had agreed to come on behalf of their villages, which made the entirety of her summit table reach ten, including Link and Hoz standing guard at the entrances to the gatehouse. She steeled herself at the thought of addressing them all, feeling quite out of place despite learning how to do this her whole life.

When they reached the archway to the gatehouse, Zelda felt herself shiver. On the trip up to the Sanctum when she first confronted Ganon, Guardians had been stationed above the pillars and had stared her down as she passed through, their empty glowing eyes pinned on her, but not attacking like they had to Link. Their absence - an adamant request on her part - was more jarring than she thought it would be. All that she had done up to that point was to move on from the destruction of the Calamity, but it seemed everywhere she looked, they would still be there in the back of her mind.

Link let her walk through the archway first, and she noticed his eyes had darted to the same place hers had just a moment prior. The dull ache in her heart increased when she remembered his journey through their home before they defeated Ganon. He still saw them up there, too.

As she strode into the gatehouse, her breath steeling, the other members of the informal council rose from their seats at the long table. She walked to her place, a seat salvaged from what had been the Queen's boarded-up study near the Sanctum, and she nodded at the people present. Though the table was wide enough for two people to sit at each short end of the table, on her side was just her seat. It would remain that way until she marries and her King takes his place to her right. The empty seat to her very right at the corner was glaring in pointing out that fact. Next to the empty chair sat Prince Sidon of the Zora with a welcome and comforting grin on his face. To his right was Teba of the Rito in Kaneli's place, and Reede of Hateno sat at the far corner. At the end of the table was Bolson and Beedle, her consultants, both seemingly nervous about their duty in the meeting. On her immediate left was Dorian of the Sheikah, another tradition instilled from ages past, and to his left was Yunobo of the Gorons in Bludo's stead. Teake of the Gerudo and Rozel of Lurelin sat at the end, rounding out the group she invited to her dilapidated home.

Link stood behind her to her left, and Hoz stood guard at the other entrance. He smiled reassuringly at her as she reached the table.

"Please, be seated."

They followed her soft command and she rounded to the front of her chair. She looked at all of them, remembering their faces from her travels with Link. Teake had been a surprising inclusion, but she recalled when Link introduced them and claimed she was one of the best fighters in all of Gerudo Town, with a shrewd mind to match. The fact that his comment made the woman blush over her veil was a delightful addition, and a fond and soft memory of the otherwise rough and tough woman.

"I would like to thank you all for coming here today," she started. Her words echoed in her head, all in the tones of her father's voice when he brought together the Champions for the first time. She closed her eyes and took another steeling breath. Link's presence behind her was a comfort, as always, and she drew from him and his strength to calm her shaking hands. "I understand a lot has changed in the past months, and I appreciate all of your willingness to come and discuss the path Hyrule will be taking from now on. As a customary note, I must inform you all that the information discussed and shared today is expected to be relayed to the leaders of the respective races, due to the informal nature of this council meeting."

She met the eyes of every being in the room. "I am Princess Zelda Eugenia Hyrule, Goddess Blood Princess, High Priestess of the Goddess Hylia, and rightful heir to the crown. After the defeat of Calamity Ganon, I have traveled the far spreads of the kingdom of Hyrule, meeting all of you in my journey, listening to the woes of the people and doing my best to aid in the reparations of this ruined kingdom. Now that the settlements are being rebuilt and our borders are being opened once more to our neighboring countries, it has become time to consider reinstating many of the lost... _practices_ the monarchy had in place."

"Such as, Princess?" Reede asked. She looked to him, silently requesting he continue with the reasoning for his inquiry, and he did with a sigh, "The people of Hateno have, for the most part, remained untouched by the events of the Great Calamity. We have flourished in the time since. What I'm basically asking is, will we have to change our ways to accommodate to the practices by a defunct monarchy?"

At his borderline-pretentious tone, Zelda nearly seethed. But she remembered her training in her youth, before the training for her Golden power overtook any other priority, and she held her tongue. Instead she smiled and clasped her hands together at her waist, like her mother had when she dealt with people who, despite their tones, were overly defensive.

"I do not intend to make the citizens of Hyrule change their lifestyles," she started as she slid into her chair. "From what I gathered in old tomes found in the Castle, many practices that were in place when King Rhoam was ruling are still being implemented today. Taxes were paid to the crown through the Duchies, but since the Duchies are all gone the funds have remained in each settlement to be recycled back into their towns. Since the value of rupees has not changed in the last century, it's safe to say if taxes remained in place, then that will be a nonissue in that regards of having enough to cover what would have been owed.

"What I plan to do is reinstate the formal system for collecting taxes instead of letting them sit in town treasuries. Because most settlements have been recycling the funds back into their town to repair damages and to maintain infrastructure, many parts of Hyrule have been neglected due to the lack of formal funds in unincorporated areas. The treasury had more than enough to fund any projects that needed the most work, but there is still much to do."

"I would recommend having the village leaders or someone elected to the part to act as the informal heads of each providence," Sidon chimed in. Zelda turned to him and felt relief at his suggestion. "Before the time of the Calamity, that was, for the most part, the practice. The Duchy was more of a formality than anything else, just a way to fill the court and for the King or Queen to have eyes all over the Kingdom. Now that the population has dwindled significantly, that doesn't seem to be something that is absolutely necessary. It wouldn't be as much of a hassle to add the responsibility to the leaders in each area, considering the lack of populace outside of the villages, themselves."

"What of the providences without many villages or settlements?" Teake asked. "From the old records, there are only six main providences that a Duke or Duchess oversaw. Now that the population is much smaller than it was before, there will be entire providences that have no villages or settlements at all, aside from the stables. Do you intend on keeping the old providence lines or creating new ones?"

Zelda hummed, thinking back to what Link had mentioned to her when they passed the Lost Woods and the ruins of the Rauru Settlement.

 _"Although no one lives here anymore, it would be wise to rebuild over the destruction. Wipe it away so Ganon's presence no longer exists."_

"Eventually people will live in those areas once more," Zelda replied. Her fingers wove together under the table. "In the words of a brilliant friend, it would be wise to rebuild over the destruction. We will implement someone in charge of the abandoned providences, and in time there will be more they can do once the Kingdom is back on its feet. It may not happen in our lifetime, but it will."

"And as for infrastructure?" Bolson inquired. Zelda looked to him with curiosity. "You told me in your letter you were in the process of planning the rebuilding of bridges and roads that link the land. When were you going to start that project?"

"After the existing settlements have finished their requested repairs. That project will begin alongside the repairs to the Castle and Castle Town."

"And of the stables?"

"They are currently being funded properly with the treasury for repairs and expansion. From what we estimate, all the specified additions for all stables will be done in a month's time."

Bolson seemed satisfied and nodded. "Reasonable enough. As for any future requests, have you decided on a system for that?"

Zelda nodded and reached under her chair for a tome she had left there for this specific discussion. She opened it to a ledger and started, "When my father was still King, there was a mail carrier system, organized and carried out by the Rito." She nodded to Teba and he gave her a small grin and nod in return. "With this system in place, it was easy for the people of Hyrule to formally request monetary grants through the treasury in the mail instead of coming all the way to the Castle to request audience with the King. Once received, the King and Minister of Treasury would discuss the request and either accept or deny it. From there, the Minister of Treasury would be in charge of getting the funds to where they were needed. I intend on doing it that way, because with the nature of this Kingdom and its size, it will be hard to maintain a less formal way of approaching these types of requests.

"That being said, I would prefer not handling every single thing on my own, so I was going to start accepting nominations for the five Ministers: Treasury, Infrastructure, Trade and Commerce, International Relations, and Defense."

"Isn't the Minister of Defense typically held by the spouse of the Head of State?" Rozel chimed in. All eyes went to him. "At least, that's how it was when my grandfather was leader of Lurelin. He said the King took care of that, even when the Queen was in power."

The eyes went back to Zelda. She swallowed. "W-well, until that position is filled, it will be my responsibility to take on those duties."

"You can't technically do that if you are not Queen, Princess Zelda," Dorian stated softly. She looked to him, feeling despair at the situation start to thrum in her veins. His reassuring look did nothing for her nerves. "The Sheikah have been wise to retain many records since the destruction of the Kingdom, and one bylaw is clear: A Princess Cannot Rule the Kingdom of Hyrule. It has happened before long ago, but she was of age and her parents had recently passed. Before you can take on any more responsibilities, you will have to consider the fact that you will have to become Queen of Hyrule first. A kingdom cannot be strong without a true monarch at her head."

Zelda looked to the grains of the table and sighed. She knew this was coming, but assured herself that she would not become Queen until her Kingdom was back in order. There was still so much to do, so many things to finish. She couldn't become Queen and have a celebration over it before her people were safe and happy.

In the back of her mind, she also felt a huge sigh of relief. Luckily for her, the law that required a Princess to be married before becoming Queen was abolished with the same Princess that Dorian had just mentioned. Bringing _that_ onto the table would be a discussion she wasn't quite ready for.

"Princess Zelda, if I may, goro?"

She looked up and met Yunobo's beady eyes. He looked as unsure as she, but he mustered up enough courage - his face contorting like Daruk's would when he was forcing himself to be brave - and he said, "The Gorons will follow you, Queen or not. Big Boss says you fought to protect us for over a century against that big cloud of smoke. If that doesn't prove you're strong enough to lead us all, then I don't know what will, goro."

"At this point in time, being Queen is just a formality," Sidon added. He smiled at her when she met his eyes and he continued, "The people of Hyrule know who you are, and what you did for us. Some of us already consider you our Queen."

There was some muttering from the opposite end of the table, between Bolson, Reede, and Rozel, and Zelda frowned. From behind her, she heard Link shift, which was a huge surprise. Usually he was as silent as the Sheikah. If she could hear him, he was being deliberately noisy.

"Gentlemen," she called out to them. All three heads turned to her. "Is there a problem?"

Bolson cleared his throat, glaring daggers at the two other men, and he spoke up with a flippant tone regarding the other two, "They do not believe that you are the rightful Queen. After all this time, they have been content with their ways and are unwilling to change. Even if you come back into the picture."

Zelda turned her eyes to Reede, feeling the contempt towards him from earlier fester under her skin. "You do not believe my claim as to being the Goddess Blood Princess and heir?"

Reede sneered at Bolson, then turned a calmer, gentler face to her. A façade, she believed. "My apologies, Your Highness, but it's very hard to believe you remain this youthful and _alive_ after apparently battling a malicious manifestation of evil for a century. Your appearance is believable to what the legends say you looked back then, but to be so young and vivacious after all this time is a little... what is the word... deceitful. We just feel that we may be getting duped into falling into a false order and lining the pockets of a scam artist."

There was a sharp inhale of breath from both Sidon and Link. She glanced over her shoulder to see Link had moved to her right, a step closer and his eyes narrowed at Reede. When he moved his gaze to her, it softened and he gave her a small nod. That was all she needed. Slowly, she stood and began tugging her glove off of her right hand, one finger at a time.

"Mister Reede," she started slowly, her voice as dangerously low as she could muster. Her eyes lifted and met the aforementioned man's across the table. "I can understand your suspicion. After all, most Hylians that are alive today weren't around when the Great Calamity struck. In fact, off the top of my head, the only ones who have living memory of the event are Zoran and Sheikah."

She raised her hand, showing Reede and the rest of the table's inhabitants the back of her hand where the Triforce glowed dimly under her skin. "I have been blessed with the blood of the Goddess Hylia, from a line that has remained strong since the inception of this kingdom many millennia ago. Blessed are the ones chosen by the Goddesses, and with my sacrifice for our kingdom came a gift: life after the Calamity. Hylia chose me to be her avatar in Hyrule's time of need, and in gratitude she let my body remain in stasis, immortal in my fight against Ganon."

Zelda willed her power to show and soon the whole gatehouse was lighting up with the proof of her power. Faintly, in the back of her head, she could hear the Master Sword beaming with pride. There was no doubt in Zelda's mind that her Master was doing the same thing, albeit with a smugger look on his face as he looked down at the skeptics.

When the light died down, Zelda fought the wave of dizziness she felt and kept her eyes pinned on Reede and Rozel, who both took up an astonished and shamed look on their faces. Teake was looking at them with the best look of triumph and disdain, while Yunobo and Beedle had the most awestruck smiles that it flattered her deep to her bones.

As for Teba, Sidon, and Dorian, the pride they had when they looked at her was enough to help her keep her ground. From behind her, she hoped Link had the same look on his face.

"Well I think that clears it up," Bolson declared with a clap of his hands, immediately breaking the tension that had filled the room. He smooth transition to the prior subject made Zelda bless him one hundred times in her head. "As for the Ministers, I do believe Mister Beedle would be excellent for Minister of Trade, considering he's the only salesman in the whole land of Hyrule that has been able to keep prices down and maintain a profit."

Beedle gasped from Bolson's right and buried his flushing face in his hands. "Oh, thank you!"

Zelda smiled at both of the men, grateful for Bolson's quick change of the subject and Beedle's sincerity. "Thank you, Bolson. Beedle has been recommended for the position by a multitude of people, including Sir Link. As for the Minister of Infrastructure, there has been one nominee thus far and he has been put forth by several people already."

"And who's that?" Bolson's curiosity and somewhat bitterness was poorly veiled.

"You."

 _"What?"_

From behind her, Link snorted.

She felt triumphant and looked to the others at the table. "If anyone objects to these nominations, please speak now."

Silence greeted her. With a smile she tapped the table with her fingers and began slipping her glove back on. "Very well. As for Treasury and International Relations, do any of you have recommendations?"

Teake lifted her hand and cleared her throat. "I do have a suggestion. There is a vai of my people who travels frequently, Ramella. She has a knack for keeping track of her ledgers and funds when she trades for jewels, all the way down to the last green rupee. She's a walking, talking abacus."

"And where is this Ramella?" Zelda asked as she grabbed a pen and wrote down her name on a slip of paper.

"Goron City, goro," Yunobo spoke up. When Zelda's eyes moved to him, he smiled. "She's been looking for rare gems lately, even when Rudania was rampaging about. She'll buy them for a higher price than most shops will, so whenever I have more than normal I take them to her. She's got a gift, goro."

Zelda hummed and looked to Beedle with a wry smile. "Maybe _she_ should be Minister of Trade and Commerce."

Beedle's deadpan glare was enough to make her laugh, and soon the whole table was laughing along with her. After a few moments, she wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes and shook her head. "My apologies, but as it stands we will induct you as Minister of Trade and Commerce. Do not fret."

He smiled sheepishly then gave Zelda a firm nod before suggesting, "There's a woman that travels between Hyrule and Holodrum that could be the Minister of International Relations. She comes to me with products to trade and sell that are hard to find here."

"Holodrum?!" Teba snorted. "How does she get to Holodrum? As far as we all know, the canyon between our countries has been impassable for a century. Not even the Rito can pass it with a proper updraft."

"She travels by skirting around the Gerudo Highlands and crossing the narrow pass at the edge of the desert," Beedle replied, causing most at the table to look at him with disbelief. "It's true! She meets me at the Tabantha Bridge Stable every fourth full moon. It takes her about a month to get there, but she always comes back. She's even been to Labrynna!"

"Amazing!" Sidon exclaimed. "Someone with an extensive amount of knowledge about our closest neighbors must have some great insight to their customs."

"And architecture," Bolson added in a hum.

There were nods and murmurs of agreement and Zelda made to write down what she could about this woman. "And what is her name, Beedle?"

"Serta," Beedle replied. "Her name is Serta."

"Alright. With Ramella as Minister of Treasury and Serta as Minister of International Relations, are there any objections?"

Silence once more.

"I will write to them both and have them delivered in the next day's time," Zelda commented. She quickly jotted down a few more notes regarding offices in the Castle and more places for these people to stay, when she remembered the last thing she wanted to discuss in the meeting. "Onto the next topic of discussion, we have a full program for the newly reinstated Royal Guard. They will be finishing their training within the next two weeks and we will deploy them to outposts throughout the Kingdom. The ones staying in the Castle will be able to deal with the influx of people arriving in the coming months."

"For your coronation as Queen?"

She looked up to Rozel and frowned. Of course it would circle back to this. She sighed and fought the urge to rub her temple. "Yes. But I will not have my coronation in this Castle. For generations, the Royal Family of Hyrule traveled to the Temple of Time and held the ceremony there. With the damage that has been dealt to this place, we need to fix it up before I allow anyone to step foot in such a holy home. Once it is complete, then I will become Queen."

"My company can take care of that," Bolson offered. When Zelda met his eyes, he added, "My first job as Minister of Infrastructure."

"How long do you think it will take to complete?" Zelda hoped it would be at least another year.

"With the right materials and conditions, I'd say give or take two months. I'd have to get a proper look but from what I saw on the way here, it's a mess but not completely destroyed. It's the surrounding buildings that need the most work, but they might as well remain that way since no one ever goes up there."

"I suggest we go ahead and set a date for the coronation," Teba spoke up. Surprised by his suggestion, Zelda blinked a few times to rid herself of her shock and he continued, "That way they don't dawdle and the people of this Kingdom can move forward. Since you've decided to open the borders again with that bridge, people from other countries will be eager to see what they can take from us. Having no real monarch in power will make us look weak and vulnerable. The last thing Hyrule needs is an invasion because the Princess is not Queen and she has no real authority or army."

There were heavy truths in Teba's words, such truths she figured out herself when she first was deciding on whether or not she really wanted to take her place on the throne again. After all, now that Ganon was gone, Hyrule's only real excuse to not have tourists was gone with him.

"Then a real army will need to be built again," Reede said. "If Hyrule needs to be defended from forces on the outside, we need to consider reforming the military and setting them up at posts on the borders, bridges, and ports."

"Hyrule's population is too small to create a formal military of that size."

All eyes went to the man behind Zelda.

She turned and looked at Link, urging him to continue. He met her eyes and she could see him swallow nervously before he continued, "Before the Calamity and I was assigned as Princess Zelda's Appointed Knight and Champion, I was a Captain of the Royal Guard. My unit consisted of twenty-five officers alone, plus another fifty lower Knights. We barely have half of that number trained at the Castle right now, and unless you intend on having every able-bodied Hylian in the entire Kingdom enlist to the military, we still won't ever have the numbers we once had until the population rebuilds. And that can take generations."

"In that case, limit the places people can enter the country," Teake suggested. "No one dares to cross the Gerudo Desert. The last time we found someone out in the badlands, it was their skeleton and Holodrumian clothing barely clinging to their bones. The fact that woman Serta is capable of crossing Mount Agaat without struggle is a testament of how far she is willing to go."

"That being said, the bridge we are rebuilding in Tabantha has a lot of empty area around it," Zelda remarked as she took the Sheikah Slate from Link's proffered hand and flipped to the map. She zoomed into the area south of the Tabantha Tower and turned it around to show the others. "We can easily build a fort of some kind, one to process incoming and outgoing travelers, rent horses and caravans, protect the people. I can have a mass of soldiers staying there and hire on people to maintain order, like they would in the stables."

"Have you considered setting up a port for sea-bound travelers?" Rozel asked.

Zelda shook her head. "Not at this time. The seas are treacherous, and always have been. The odds of someone making it to our shores are slim, and the amount of border we have with the sea is expansive. Creating ports will be done later down the road, if at all."

She sighed and looked at the pages in front of her, where her hand had absently written _Coronation?_ and she closed her eyes as she said, "As for my Coronation, we will plan it for the day of the sixth full moon, which happens to be the anniversary of Ganon's demise. It is two full moons away. Mister Bolson, would you be able to finish the repairs on the Temple of Time by then?"

Bolson nodded and took a note in his little book he kept on his person. "I'll wrangle up my boys and we'll get started first thing tomorrow."

"Be sure to clear a path from the Gatepost Town up to the Plateau. That town should be finished being built by the end of this month so all that needs to be done is connecting the paths. The one that was there before flooded and caved in but that can easily be remedied. I am certain you can take care of it."

"You flatter me, Your Highness."

Zelda looked to the others at the table. "Are there any other requests?" At their silence, she said, "I will be sending out correspondence regarding the Coronation and notes summarizing what we discussed today. All other matters can be further discussed at a later time."

There were murmurs of agreement and she quickly stood, the others at the table following her.

"I thank you again for coming here today. Your participation in this summit is vital in the rebuilding of Hyrule. Now, there will be supper served in the Dining Hall at sundown, and I will see you all then."

They all bowed as she moved away from her chair and started heading towards the exit. Link followed her, as he always did, and soon they were heading up the path and towards the towers that housed her rooms. The walk was silent, for which she was grateful, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they went inside and up the stairs to her wing of the Castle.

The moment her door was closed behind her and Link, she turned on her heels and smiled at him. "I am so glad that's-"

She was quickly silenced by Link's lips pressing against hers, urgent and heated as his hands cupped her head and held her against him. She melted into him, sighing as his fingers slid into her hair and snagged in her braids. The kiss was hard yet languid, slow and purposeful and hot as his tongue grazed her bottom lip.

When he pulled away from her, the kiss ending as a soft murmur, she opened her eyes to see him looking at her with so much admiration it made her face hot.

"What?"

"You did an excellent job today, Your Highness."

Zelda bit her lip and averted her eyes, her flush growing to the edges of her ears. "Yes... well. You don't typically congratulate a successful council meeting with such a... passionate gesture."

"Maybe I should," he chuckled softly. "Perhaps that's what you deserve for all of the hard work you've put forth since we defeated Ganon. I'm very proud of you."

Zelda managed to smile sheepishly and her hands fiddled with each other at her waist. "Are you sure I did a good enough job back there? I felt like they kept second guessing me and challenging everything I claimed and wanted to do..."

"If no one questioned a Queen, then her rule would be foolish," Link remarked. He then looked off to the side and sneered as he added, "Besides, Reede is just a pompous kind of guy. He puts on this nice face but he wants to get glory for holding down the largest Hylian settlement in the entire Kingdom. If it wasn't for me, that village wouldn't even exist."

There was a rough glare in Link's eyes, mouth pinched together in a disdainful scowl. He was right, about Reede _and_ Hateno. Without Link and ultimately herself, Hateno would not exist. The pureness in the eyes of the children she saw in the village spoke loudly of his sacrifice, without which there would have been no lasting strongholds left in Hyrule. And unfortunately not many would believe that Link was the warrior that defended Fort Hateno until his last breath. Thus was the challenge of persuading the skeptics like Reede and Rozel.

"Regardless," she sighed, causing Link to look back to her and soften his gaze, "we have a lot of work to do. Firstly, we need to finish up with clearing out the Castle, then finishing the Outpost and Gatepost Towns so people have somewhere to stay during my Coronation, then there's the actual Coronation to plan-"

"Zelda, I think we need to do one thing at a time."

"Like what?"

Link chuckled and his hands moved to her shoulders. "Relax, first off. Then, think with a clear head."

Zelda's shoulders hunched up, pressing against his palms, and she huffed, "I can't relax now. There's so much to be done! So many things to oversee, the letters to write, the Coronation, the implementation of the taxes. It's a lot to take on!"

His hands squeezed her and he smiled softly. "Well, then why don't I help you take your mind off of it all?"

At the curious quirk of her eyebrow, Link stepped back and knelt in front of her - like he had a century before at the Sacred Grounds - and he bowed his head with his hand on his heart. "Princess Zelda Eugenia Hyrule, I swear my undying loyalty to you, to Hell and back, through all of your endeavors on the mortal plane and through the spirit realm. Like my soul is bound to the Sword that seals the Darkness, it is bound to yours until the end of time. That I swear."

When he rose his eyes to her, Zelda felt her heart leap into her throat. It was similar to the vow he had to make when he was knighted, right before he drew the Master Sword. All he changed was the direction of his sworn fealty, instead of to Hyrule but to just Zelda herself. Tears burned in her eyes and all she could do was nod in acceptance. Link grinned, but instead of standing he shuffled towards her, still on his knees, and grasped the hems of her skirts.

"Link?"

There was a wicked gleam in his eyes as he said, "I'm helping you relax, Your Grace."

His hand cupped her ankle and slid up her calf, slowly inching towards her thigh. His other hand mirrored the action, grazing her skin with deliberate slowness that had her weak in the knees.

"What if someone comes in?"

"I locked the door. Supper isn't for another hour, and I'm not cooking so we have plenty of time."

His hands reached her ass and he squeezed it before hooking his fingers in the waistband of her panties and sliding them down her thighs. After they were discarded, He quickly stood and swept her into his arms, causing her to yelp in surprise, and he carried her to her bed. Without a word, he placed her on the bed on her hands and knees, and he flipped her skirts up so they were bunched at her waist.

Zelda gasped when the cool air of her chamber hit her dampening womanhood and it mellowed out into a soft moan when Link's hands grasped her ass and he started kissing the backs of her thighs. Her hips tightened and she felt her back tense at the new sensation.

When he gave her another soft squeeze, he murmured against her skin, "Relax."

She did her best, letting herself sag into the plush material of her mattress and let go. As Link's mouth dragged up the backs of her legs, her hips thrust upwards and gave him a plentiful view of her womanhood. His chuckle was low and rough, just enough to make her quiver, and he dove in.

The moment his mouth closed over her lips, she shuddered and sighed. He was cool against her folds, as if he had just taken a long drink of cold water. His tongue spread her wide and lapped up the wetness that was already building. When his tongue darted into her, his hands squeezed her cheeks and pulled her hips closer to his face, grinding her clit against his chin.

Her cry spurred him on and he moved his tongue down to her clit while his finger quickly slid into her.

"L-Link!" she keened as he added a second finger. Her hips shook and ground against his face in time with his fingers, meeting him thrust for thrust. Her head dropped to the mattress and she wished she could do something for him. Maybe she- "Link, stop. Wait a moment."

He stilled and as she looked over her shoulder, she could see him looking at her from over the curve of her ass with the most curious and confused look on his flushed face. The shininess on his chin made her blood rush.

"Let me help you _relax,_ too."

His eyebrows shot up and he licked his lips. "You're still wearing your dress."

"I can do what you're doing," she suggested, flushing at her own boldness.

"But I want to..." He trailed off and his hand kneaded her ass again, thumb dangerously close to her - _ahem_ \- other entrance, and he shrugged. "I don't want to stop."

"We can do it at the same time."

At his unconvinced look, she rolled over and sat at the edge of the bed with Link kneeling on the ground between her legs. Her throbbing center was aching for him to continue, but she had to return the favor.

"Lay on your back, I'll straddle your face and take care of you while you take care of me."

His cheeks turned red and he cleared his throat, hands grasping her bare thighs as if he was trying to ground himself. "You're still wearing your dress."

Zelda smiled and leaned forward to give him a soft kiss on his lips. Her taste lingered and made her throb with want once more. "I can move it to the side. As long as you finish on yourself or in my mouth, we should be fine. Now, lay down."

He followed her gentle command and stood. His erection was straining against his trousers, pushing his tunic out in an almost comical looking tent. He pulled the pants down as he laid down on her bed, shimmying them down his thighs and pulling up his shirt to give her complete access to him. Her mouth watered and she gathered her skirts to the side as she crawled across the mattress to his face. After one more lingering look in his dark eyes, she swung her leg over his face like he was the saddle for her horse, and she leveled her own face over his crotch. The second his tongue dragged up her folds once more, she lowered her face to his erection and wrapped her mouth around it.

Link's hips stuttered the moment her lips wet him and his sigh cooled her entire hot center. As she licked and suckled on him, bobbing her head up and down his shaft and stroking where her mouth couldn't reach, Link slid his fingers back into her and started thrusting fast as his tongue and mouth worked her clit. They both kept even pace, every bob of her head matching the thrusts of his fingers.

The telling sign of an oncoming orgasm was hitting her: the flushed face, the panting breath, the tight and pleasurable sensation deep in her lower belly, the ache of her lips that was only slightly quelled by his passing tongue. Her moans vibrated down his shaft, causing him to flex up into her and go deeper into her throat. The onslaught of sensations was becoming too much, her cries muffled by his throbbing cock, and the second his fingers curled and his tongue and _teeth_ bore down on her, she came hard.

She kept stroking him through her climax, mouth sucking instead of moaning and hips grinding down on his face. It pulsed through her, wave upon wave hitting her nerves and heightening every brush of her clothed body against his. Link kept languidly kissing and licking her, slowing down his pace and removing his fingers from her, and caressed her folds while she continued to service him.

Her spit dripped down her chin and covered him entirely, acting as the perfect lubricant for her hand. As she sped up, his breaths came in hotter and faster pants. He groaned against her swollen and sensitive lips and she gasped at the quick return of her arousal. He kept lapping at her, taking in every ounce of cum she let out, and she moaned hard around his shaft.

His mouth broke away from her, fingers taking up the furious pace that his tongue had used, and he started gasping, "Z-Zelda, I'm- _I'm_ \- _aah!_ "

With one last suck, she felt him flex and throb in her mouth before suddenly something hot and sticky hit the back of her throat. She fought the urge to gag and instead swallowed it down as it came out in bursts. Her hand slowed and she sucked out every last drop of the tangy and bitter fluid. She felt Link gradually soften in her hand and his gasping was replaced with soft panting, felt keenly on her damp folds. As she removed her mouth, she gave him a little kiss on his head, causing him to jerk back a little.

"S-Sorry," he whispered. "It's a little sensitive."

"Mine too," she giggled as she swung her leg off of his face and laid down on the bed.

"Careful," Link said as he sat up and looked down at her. "Don't want to wrinkle your dress."

Zelda wiped her spittle and the remnants of his orgasm from her chin and wiped it on her duvet. "No one will notice. Now, let's get going. Don't want to be late for supper."

He gave her a nod, his private and satisfied grin still on his slightly flushed face, and stood. He quickly pulled up his trousers and tied them into place before tugging down his tunic and settling his belts. As Zelda pulled herself off the bed, Link bent over and picked up her discarded underwear off the floor.

She let her skirts fall to the floor, miraculously wrinkle-free, and she met Link's eyes as he straightened up and walked towards her. With a deviant glint in her eyes, she walked past him towards the door. Over her shoulder, she said to him, "Leave the panties."

The hungry and lustful look in his eyes was enough to keep her bold and proud throughout the entire supper.

* * *

 _tbc._


	8. Home

_**Disclaimer: Disclaimed.**_

 _ **A/N** Hey I'm almost done writing this story. I apologize for not updating sooner but I've been caught up with life. Also, I realized that each chapter keeps getting longer and longer and honestly I stopped caring about five parts ago._

* * *

 **Part Eight: Home**

"There it is."

Link followed her gaze and sighed with content as he stared out towards the countryside. Ahead, down the hill and across the vastness of Hyrule Field, was the small nestling of trees that housed the Sacred Grounds. There, he and Zelda would be meeting with the people who agreed to venture with them into Hyrule Castle and the Castle Town. In their travels, they had encountered many people who had been eager to help Zelda and himself repair what had been broken during the last century and despite what Zelda believed, most of the people who had sent back correspondence regarding this mission had been moved by Zelda's reappearance, not by Link's works and deeds since he woke up.

Well, there were a few who came for him, like the three Goron Brothers who had just rolled into the wooded area seconds before.

"I suppose we should announce our arrival," Zelda mused with a sigh. Her hands clutched the reins and she looked to him. "I'm sure most of them are already there."

"We told them midday, Zelda," Link replied softly, enough to visibly calm her. "It is not yet that time."

She sighed again and dropped her gaze to Storm's mane. "After all this time, we're finally going back. I thought that it wouldn't come so soon."

"We defeated Ganon five months ago," he commented, causing her to take one more deep breath and meet his eyes. "We spent almost four of them travelling the entirety of Hyrule, meeting Hylia's people and learning their struggles and passing on the news of evil's defeat. We knew the day you would return to the Castle would come. We've been preparing for it all along."

Zelda looked as if she was on the verge of tears, such was the pressure of the future Queen, and he reached over to grab her hand. He brought it to his lips, kissing her bare fingertips, and he clutched them between his. "I promise, I will do what I can to make this as easy as it can be."

"You're still leading the party, right?"

He nodded and let go of her hand. "I'll let them all know what is in there, what to expect. From what I figured, all we'll be dealing with is a stray monster or two and the leftover filth from Ganon."

"The sooner it is gone, the better," she huffed as she grabbed her reins and looked forward to the Sacred Grounds. "We best be off. Won't want to leave them waiting, yes?"

Link nodded and they both spurred their horses down the hill. As they approached the woods, Link kept scanning the areas around them. The last time he was here, there were three visible Guardians stalking around, ready to take him out with their lasers. The one he could see at the moment was completely dead, its shell collapsed against the ground and its eye dark. He suppressed a shudder and kept looking around. He could see the shells of other Guardians lined up against the walls that once protected the Castle Town, they too had gone completely dark. He looked to the skies and saw no Skywatchers, but they could always be hiding.

There was no certainty at this point in time.

When they had stopped at the Riverside Stable before heading north to the Sacred Grounds, Link was told by Ember that he noticed there weren't anymore Guardians swarming the hills like there had been before Link confronted Ganon. Ember believed they all ran away, but their lifeless husks littering Hyrule Field told Link that they simply lost power after their puppeteer was sealed away at the edge of existence.

Soon, Zelda slowed her horse and Link followed suit, easing Apone to a trot as they reached the trees. Already in the Sacred Grounds were several members of the expedition party, including the Goron Brothers Heehl, Bayge, and Kabetta, the Hylians Celessa, Nell, Brigo, and Garill, and the Gerudos Lukan and Rotana. Off the top of his head, all they were missing were the Ritos Harth and Mazli and the Hylians Hoz, Chabi, and Bottrick.

"Hello, Princess Zelda! Link!"

Link slowed Apone to a stop and waved to Celessa, who had called out to them at their arrival. Zelda followed his lead and dismounted from Storm, then turned to Celessa when she reached their sides. "Hello, Celessa. How have you been?"

"Oh, wonderful!" she replied with a broad smile. "We got here a little after sunrise to scout out Castle Town."

"What did you find?" Link asked as he approached them.

"Absolutely nothing." Her smile slowly dragged down into a frown. "All of the Guardians inside are dead. And the goopy purple stuff is gone, too."

"The Malice?" Zelda asked. When Link looked over to her, her lips were pinched together in thought. "That's a good sign. There weren't any when we passed through right after, but if it hasn't reformed in the time since that means it's unlikely to do so in the near future."

"You think?"

Link and Zelda met each others eyes and he saw the uncertainty swimming in the depths, but he did not speak on it. Instead he turned back to Celessa and nodded before excusing himself and Zelda to head to the platform where she had done his blessing ceremony the century prior.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

He looked to her and frowned. "What are you thinking?"

"That we may just find rubble and waste, but no monsters or sign of Ganon."

He glanced at the travelers waiting on the stone stairs, all different sorts of anxious and eager as they waited for the rest of the party to arrive. He brought his gaze back to her and gave her a small smile. "You successfully sealed Ganon away. He no longer has a presence on this plane of existence. But his sentient monsters may still remain like we saw on Mount Lanayru. I still want everyone to be on their guard. We only lingered in the gateways when we were last here. Who knows what monsters could still be roaming the halls of our home."

Link saw a flicker of nostalgia in her eyes when he called the Castle _their_ home, and he had to fight the urge to wrap his arms around her and give her a comforting kiss. After all, she said she needed to be professional.

The neighing of horses broke the trance he found himself in and Link looked to see a handful of horses bounding their way. On a spotted mare was Hoz, the soldier from Akkala, and behind him was Bottrick leading a carriage with Chabi and two other Hylians in the back. As they slowed and dismounted, Link approached them with a grin on his face. Hoz extended his arm and Link clasped it quickly.

"Glad you could make it."

Hoz's white teeth gleamed against his dark skin as he replied, "This is what my whole life has been made for, Sir Link."

With a nod, Link turned away from the boisterous man and turned to Bottrick, who had taken up feeding his horse some apples.

"I'm very glad you're here."

Bottrick smiled with his eyes and said, "I never thought I'd be able to see the interior of Hyrule Castle in this lifetime, but I am honored that you would even consider letting me in on this expedition. I promise to guard these people with my life."

"Hey, Link!"

He looked up to Chabi and approached the carriage, keenly aware of the two people sitting in the shadows behind her.

"I found Kilton!" she beamed, almost jumping up and down in her place.

Link gave her an amused smile and spurred her on, "Oh, really?"

She nodded and pulled out a Lynel mask she had clearly bought from the Fang and Bone. "Very creepy, but all around a neat guy. Oh! I need to introduce you to these ladies!"

Link looked around Chabi to the aforementioned women next to her. Both were slight and had tanned skin with dark hair pulled into buns hidden behind loose scarves. They wore small ruby circlets on their foreheads and red rope sashes across their chest. Those particular trinkets tickled something in the far recesses of his memory, but it was knocked out of the way when Chabi started speaking again.

"These ladies are Anessa and Ali," she started, chipper as usual. "They usually keep to themselves but they were adamant that they were included in this expedition when I mentioned it to them."

Link met who he figured was Anessa's eyes and he said simply, "Why do you want to help us?"

Anessa met his gaze, her eyes a startling grey color, and she replied, "We come specifically to help Princess Zelda, because our grandmother instructed us to."

Link was already skeptical. "Is that so?"

Ali poked her head around and pointed at the circlet on her forehead. "This is a symbol of servitude to the Royal Family! Ask the Princess yourself. She would know."

He looked over his shoulder to see Zelda eyeing them curiously from the platform. He shrugged and motioned for her to come over, and she trotted down the stairs with a ever-growing wary look on her face. When she reached Link's side, both Anessa and Ali bowed their heads in reverence.

"Your Grace," Anessa started, "we are pleased to meet your acquaintance."

"And who might you be?" Zelda inquired gently, no hint of the wariness she showed in her eyes.

"I am Anessa, and this is my little sister Ali. Our grandmother was a handmaiden for you before the Great Calamity, and she spoke very highly of you. We wish to take her place at your side as your handmaidens."

Link noticed Zelda's frown and he felt his hand flex. Typically, her response to someone knowing who she was because of a relative was not this... cautious.

"Who was your grandmother?"

Link noticed Anessa shift a little and Ali glanced at her from the corner of her eye. He flexed his hand again.

"Anju," Anessa supplied. "She was away visiting family when the Calamity struck, Your Grace."

He saw Zelda shift and visibly loosen up, but her frown did not falter. "I remember Anju. She was very kind and gentle, and a good friend to me in my youth. But why are you wearing the traditional accessories for the Princess's Handmaiden? As far as I know, neither myself or my father, King Rhoam, assigned you to my service."

Both Chabi and Link grimaced at Zelda's tone, but he didn't blame her. After all, from what he remembered being a handmaiden to the Princess and even the Queen required the utmost amount of trust and security. These were the women that saw the Royals at their most vulnerable and exposed. Having someone who the Princess did not explicitly trust at her side could spell out trouble for her life.

Link could see Anessa visibly tremble and he heard Ali sniff.

"My apologies, Your Grace," Anessa murmured, her head bowing even more. "My grandmother tasked us with this specific purpose should you ever return in our lifetimes. We only wish to carry out her final request so her spirit could rest peacefully."

"And what was her request?"

"To serve you and all of your needs," Ali spoke up in a watery voice. "She trained us in all of the ways your handmaidens were instructed, down to the stitching of your clothes and the way you like your bath water. She felt so guilty that she wasn't by your side at the end that she was beside herself the rest of her life. Before she died, she gave us these-" she gestured to the circlets and the sashes, "- in hopes that one day you would return to rule Hyrule to prosperity once more. And that when you did, we could carry on her legacy as your handmaidens and confidants."

Zelda turned and met Link's eyes, questions behind her gaze, and he merely shrugged.

"The more the merrier."

She gave him the amused look she adopted frequently in their travels, and she turned back to Anessa and Ali. "Very well. I will let you become my handmaidens. Anju was a trusted friend, and to learn she lived instead of perishing in the Calamity is a wonderful surprise."

Both Anessa and Ali raised their heads and looked to each other, relief evident in their faces.

"However..."

The sisters looked back to Zelda, suddenly uncertain.

"Being at my side requires the utmost amount of discretion and secrecy. Should I ever feel as if I am not safe in your presence, I will remove you from my service. Permanently."

Link winced and glanced at the sisters, only to see both of their faces go ashen as they nodded.

"Of course, Princess Zelda. We won't let you down."

Zelda looked to Link and her eyebrow arched up. "Shall we begin?"

He nodded and followed her back to the platform, casting an apologetic look over his shoulder to Chabi and the sisters. Ali was visibly hyperventilating and Anessa still looked as if she had just seen a ghost.

"Don't you think you were a little harsh?" he whispered to her as they reached the center of the platform.

"Absolutely not," she replied shortly. "A handmaiden once betrayed one of my ancestors by revealing the location of the Triforce to an enemy, a secret that she shouldn't have known in the first place. It resulted in a war that lasted for over a decade. I will not make that same mistake by employing someone I cannot implicitly trust with my life and the secrets of the Royal Family. Now that we are so scarce, I must protect the legacy of the Goddess Hylia with iron fists."

He met her eyes and saw the resolute decision there. He sighed and nodded, then turned back to the group waiting for them to head to the Castle.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?"

All eyes went to him and the Princess at his side.

"For those of you who don't know, I'm Link." He gestured to Zelda. "And this is Princess Zelda. We're leading the expedition today into the Castle. I want to go over a few ground rules before we go in, just to make sure no one gets injured, maimed, or killed."

There was slight, distressed murmuring from the crowd.

"We will split up into three groups, one Goron per group, and each group will have a section of the Castle to sweep through and clear out of any monsters or thieves. I ask that everyone remained armed and vigilant. I would hate for anyone to perish so soon after we reconquer the Castle. If you don't have a weapon, I have plenty to spare. Also, we ask that any treasure you find please bring to the First Gatehouse to be analyzed and recorded by Rotana."

The Gerudo woman raised her hand so the others could see who she was.

"Also, I will assign each group one soldier," Link added. "We have enough trained people here to be the eyes and ears needed to keep everyone safe. Lastly, no one is to bother the Stone Talus in the East Passage. He's hard to get to but he's tough to get rid of, so please avoid that area as best as you can.

"If you see Malice, please inform me or Princess Zelda and we will take care of it." He turned to Zelda and asked her softly, "Anything else?"

She nodded and stepped forward as Link stepped to the side, and she looked to all of the Hyrulians that joined them. "I want to thank you all for agreeing to help us. It would be an impossible task doing it alone, and I intend to reward you for your assistance."

The murmuring turned more positive and Link set forth to separate the groups.

In Group Farore, he assigned Heehl, Lukan, Bottrick, and Brigo. In Group Din, he put together Bayge, Chabi, Hoz, and the sisters, Anessa and Ali. In Group Nayru, that left Kabetta, Nell, Celessa and Garill. Link figured Harth and Mazli would be meeting them closer to the Castle so he would assign them to groups when they arrived.

As for himself and Zelda, they had one place they needed to go alone.

Right when the sun hit its highest point in the sky, the expedition party headed into the ruins of Castle Town. At first, Link anticipated swarms of enemies to come out. After all, when in the presence of the Sword that seals the Darkness, monsters either ran screaming or charged towards him to take him out. What he didn't expect was flowers starting to grow through the cracks in the rubble and on top of the shells of defunct Guardians. He didn't expect deer to graze in the grass near the water reservoir and birds to nest on top of a destroyed home.

He glanced at Zelda, who was seeing the ruins of the town a second time, eyes glassy as she fully gazed upon the wreckage. As they moved towards the Central Square, he saw her stop and stare at the foundation of a burned down building.

"The cobbler who worked here made the most comfortable boots," she murmured. Link glanced around and saw the others start spreading out as they explored. When he looked back to her, her eyes were closed and a single tear had trailed down her cheeks. "He made this pair for me. And every pair I owned. I never let anyone else make my boots because the ones he made were so perfect."

The man she spoke of registered vaguely in his mind, a stout and cheerful Hylian with a laugh that could shake the foundations of the Castle. "Asher."

She glanced up at him, questions in her eyes, and he repeated himself, "Asher. That was his name, right?"

Zelda nodded and her lips curled slightly at the corners. "Yes. Mister Asher. Made boots from quality leather imported from Faron. No one else matched his skills."

Link put his hand on her back and steered her away from the wreckage of the home, then murmured in her ear, "I'll learn to make boots like him if you'd like."

She rolled her eyes and cracked a little chuckle as she started walking away from him. "You don't have to do everything, you know?"

He frowned and immediately said, "Neither do you."

Zelda turned on her heel and stared at him like she didn't understand what he was saying. With how open they were learning to be with each other, she still didn't have to say it for him to know.

"We don't have to do this," he urged once more. This was a constant discussion that she always rebuffed, no matter how much he could tell it bothered her. "You and I can go back to Hateno and stay at my house while the party goes through the Castle. Once it's cleared out, we can come back."

Link fought the urge to take her hands, instead opting to put his hand on her shoulder and give her a reassuring - and _totally_ _platonic_ \- squeeze. "I know this is going to bother you."

"How does it not bother you?" she snapped back, her demeanor flipping instantly. Link could practically see claws stretch from her fingers in defense. "You look at these destroyed homes and tell me you don't see the people who used to live here! Tell me you don't hear their cries as the whole city was demolished by the Guardians! Tell me that you don't remember their names because you knew them _all_ by heart. I know you did."

A stone settled in his chest and he scowled. "I don't anymore."

There was a disdainful look in her eyes as she took a step back and started walking towards the gates of the Castle without him. He knew she was resentful at times of his lack of memory. She didn't say it, but it showed when she would inquire about if he remembered something that happened between them before the Calamity, or if he could fill her in on an instance that happened when she wasn't nearby. Most of the time it was pity and a soft apology, but other times it was frustration and rolled eyes. And then times like now, it was anger and resentment. After all, he _was_ a different person now. And as much as he knew Zelda looked at him and saw the same knight that was her comfort a century ago, he couldn't live up to that expectation. Not entirely. Unfortunately for him, no matter what he did he knew Zelda wished she could cling to the past and what they had before, but it wasn't there anymore.

Link sighed and brought the hand that he had left hovering where she stood to his face and rubbed hard. This was going to be a rough transition.

Link sidestepped the stones and started following behind her. His gaze flitted from building to building, seeking signs of life, when his eyes caught sight of a painting on an interior wall that had miraculously survived the carnage of the Great Calamity.

It was a daisy, clearly painted by the inexperienced hand of a child, painted against a backdrop of grass. It was so familiar to him it made his head ache. Why was this painting so clear in his head but so obviously destroyed in front of his eyes? Why...

 _"Link!"_

 _He glanced up from his boots and frowned at the girl bounding towards him. "Arya, why aren't you in your lessons?"_

 _Arya's brown eyes twinkled in the sunlight and she beamed, "Papa came to get me early so I could come to your knighting ceremony!"_

 _Link looked over her shoulders at the man approaching them both, a near-mirror reflection of himself save his height, broader shoulders, and dark eyes that matched Arya's, and he frowned. "Is that so?"_

 _Arya took his hands and shoved a rolled up piece of paper into his palms. "I painted this for you, too!"_

 _Link unfurled the paper to reveal a clumsy painting of a daisy in grass with her name scrawled on the lower right-hand corner. Link smiled at her thoughtfulness and he rubbed her on the top of her mop of light brown hair as he led her inside the house. "Thank you, Arya. Grab me the old frame from the den and I'll hang it up."_

 _After it was hung in place in the old frame, Link turned back to Arya and the man she called Papa, who had stepped into the house as Link dutifully ignored him and hung up the painting. He looked up to him and frowned before saying quietly, "May I speak to you privately, father?"_

 _The older man nodded and bent down to Arya, a gentle smile on his otherwise haggard face. "Why don't you go play for a few moments? Link's ceremony doesn't start for a bit so we have plenty of time to get up to the Castle."_

 _"Okay, Papa!"_

 _When Arya left the room, Link's father sighed and turned back around to face his son._

 _"You haven't told her yet?" Link inquired sharply._

 _"What gives you that idea?"_

 _Link folded his arms over his chest and glared up at his father. "She's awfully happy for someone about to move to Faron to live with your parents. Why haven't you told her?"_

 _The older man sighed and rubbed his fingers over his temples. "She lost her mother, and now she's about to lose her big brother. Now that we'll both be in the Castle, neither of us can look after her. My parents agreed to look after her until my retirement."_

 _"That's not for another four years," Link replied. As his father look up at him with tired eyes, he continued, "Now that I'll be in the Castle, you can take off more time and take care of her."_

 _His father shook his head and pulled a slip out of his back pocket. He handed it to Link and explained its contents. "I received your assignment this morning. Since the King personally saw so much promise from you, he's promoting you to Captain in the Royal Guard, right underneath me. With all that has been happening, he fears the return of Calamity Ganon is eminent so he wants the best men he can get in his elite guard. The discovery of the Divine Beasts are a testament of the fact of evil's return. Now all they need is the Sword that Seals the Darkness to be claimed, and he knows it will be time."_

 _One look with steely brown eyes caused Link to shrink down slightly. "I know what you told your Gerudo friend. I will not have you go to that forest and seek it out."_

 _Link's stomach dropped and he blinked away his shock. "But, father-"_

 _"I don't care about some divine calling or voice in your head," the older man cut in, oblivious to the despair on his son's face. "For right now, you need to serve your monarchs. The King is apparently searching for someone to appoint as the personal guard to the Princess, and I would expect no less than the greatest swordsman in all of Hyrule to fit that bill. You are the youngest and most skilled Knight of Hyrule in centuries, with so much to offer to your King. Venturing to the woods to find a mystical sword that may not even be in there will be a fool's errand, and the exact thing that will get the King's attention for the_ wrong _reason."_

 _Link scowled and tore his gaze from his father's. For a long moment, tense silence filled their home. He didn't want to listen, knowing deep down what fate was coming to Hyrule. Something deep in his very soul pulled him to the Lost Woods, where he just_ knew _the legendary sword rested, waiting for him. There was no question about it, and he had to go. Once the knighting ceremony was over, he would sneak away in the middle of the night. His official duties didn't start for another three days, which gave him plenty of time to-_

 _"Link!"_

 _His eyes snapped up and he looked at his sister as she ran back into the room, her eyes bright with the innocent love for her older brother as she bounded to him and took his hands._

 _"It's time to go, Link!"_

 _"Link!"_

"Link!"

He gasped and snapped open his eyes. He was suddenly looking at a clear blue sky, no signs of walls or his sister or father around him. Above him was Zelda, her green eyes wide with concern. Nell and Garill were beside her, the same looks of concern in their gazes as they looked down at his prone body.

"Link!" Zelda gasped as she clutched her hand to her chest. "Oh, Goddesses! Are you alright? You've been out of it for almost a half an hour!"

He sat up and rubbed his throbbing eyes with the heels of his hands. Was that a memory? It couldn't have been. Most were triggered by a picture, by-

He whirled his head around and looked up at the half-destroyed painting on the wall behind him. His heart lodged itself in his throat and he fought the burn on tears in his eyes. No, he would not cry. Not here, not now. Not when there so many things left to do.

"This was my home," he murmured, low enough for only Zelda to hear. She gasped softly and he felt her hand squeeze his arm before she turned back to the others and told them to meet her by the Castle gates. His eyes never left the painting and the ache in his chest increased. "My sister's name was Arya. And my father didn't want me to go get the Master Sword. He said it was a fool's errand. But I did it anyway that very night."

"And you came in on your first day of duty with the Master Sword on your back," Zelda added. He turned to her and saw her smiling sadly at him. "I remember your father yelling at you that night in the Guard's Chambers. It was so loud it almost echoed throughout the entire Castle. It was the first time I remember seeing you, when you presented the sword to my father. That night when I heard your father's yells, despite the anger I felt towards you and towards the Gods cursing me to be the Princess that faced Ganon, I felt an inkling of comfort knowing that you and I had something in common other than a doomed fate."

Link managed a watery smile and stood, sniffing as he offered his hand to Zelda to lift her to her feet. He kept his eyes on the wall, his mind flitting around old memories of the home and how much his life before Zelda was contained in the four walls. He remembered his last night there before he moved permanently into the Guard's Chambers, when Arya cried into his shoulder after they finished packing their bags. When his father didn't look at him or the sword on his back as he took Arya away and out of Castle Town.

When he closed the door behind him one last time and glanced at the painting Arya had made for his through the window, wishing he could take that one piece of his adored little sister with him as he went to face his destiny in the Castle.

After a long moment Zelda squeezed his hand, bringing him back to the present, and when he met her eyes she said softly, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. Sometimes I forget that these things aren't so fresh in your mind like they are for me. It's hard to remember when you're almost exactly the same you had been back then."

Link shrugged and looked at the painting one last time. "Not entirely the same."

Zelda gave his hand another little squeeze before she started walking away. "Perhaps that's a good thing."

He caught up to her and frowned. "How so?"

She was quiet for a few moments, mulling over her words, then she looked up to the looming gates of the Castle. "Not remembering the way things were before would make it easier not to be hurt by how they are now."

Link followed her gaze upward. The others in the party were waiting for them, and soon he was using the Sheikah Slate to move the doors out of the way and lead the expedition into the Castle. The first thing he saw was a Skywatcher Guardian that crashed on the bridge. Up the hill was another that had once shot at him before he even had the chance to dive out of the way.

He still had the burn scar on his leg.

The Malice that once grew out of destroyed towers was now gone, leaving rubble and emptied armor scattered along the walkways that went up the cliffside and towards the entrance of the Castle. Like when he last came, banners still billowed in the soft breeze despite the century of decay, and for the most part the structure was still in place. It was a matter of whether or not the interior was salvageable.

Link ordered the groups to separate, one to enter through the first entrance by the Guard's Chamber, and the others to follow him and Zelda up the path towards the First Gatehouse. Once Group Farore was inside, Link told Group Din to go to the Western wing of the Castle, while Group Nayru search the East. Right as they started trekking uphill, Harth and Mazli arrived on a slight breeze.

"Sorry it took so long," Harth apologized. "We got caught in a thunderstorm passing over Lindor."

"It's quite alright," Zelda replied with a tight smile. Link knew her discomfort wasn't aimed at Harth, but the Rito may not see it as the same. "You both can split up and go with these two groups."

"And where are you going, Your Highness?" Mazli asked.

Link followed Zelda's gaze as it dragged up towards the tallest tower of the Castle, her home for the last century.

"I have a throne to return to."

As they arrived at the First Gatehouse, the two groups split up. As Group Din headed down the path that led to Zelda's towers and the residential halls near the Guard's Chambers, Group Nayru headed uphill towards the Second Gatehouse, where they would then go down the path that led to the Dining Hall and enter the Castle through there. As Rotana began setting up her "station" with multiple blank journals and her stationary, Link turned to see Zelda staring up at the husks of the Guardian Turrets that had guarded the Gatehouse.

"They're all dead." She then dropped her eyes to him and frowned. "I want all of them destroyed or thrown into the moat. I can't have them sitting around and reminding me of what happened."

"Consider it done," Link replied. "I'll ask the Gorons to start taking care of it once they all return here at sundown. Have we decided where everyone should sleep tonight?"

Zelda hummed and looked up towards the Sanctum again. "We can stay in the Gatehouse, though that wouldn't be too safe against the elements, should something pop up. Perhaps we could use the Guard's Chambers. They're designed to house at least one hundred men and their armor if the entire wing is still intact. We can go in there once the whole Castle has been swept through. It's relatively easy to get there if we use the stairwell beneath my study. Speaking of, after we visit the Sanctum, I would like to venture to my room. See the damage and what I can salvage."

Link had to suppress a wince when he said, "The interior entrance is completely sealed off. I had to climb the outside of the tower in order to get in."

Her crestfallen face was heartbreaking, but she did not comment on that revelation. Instead she seemed to brush it off entirely by taking a deep breath and stating, "Well we can see what can be done from the outside. For now, I will request you go back up there and fetch anything you can that I might need."

"Such as?"

"Books, armor, any money I may have left in my personal stores," she commented as she started walking out of the Gatehouse and up the path. At Link's sheepish look, she stopped and frowned at him. "You didn't take all of the money I had in there, did you?"

He felt his cheeks get hot and he instinctively rubbed the back of his neck.

"Link!"

"I only took a silver rupee!" he exclaimed in defense. "Honestly. I thought there would have been more in there!"

Zelda huffed and started stomping towards the Second Gatehouse. Over her shoulder, she declared, "You better hope we find the treasury. If we don't, you're funding all of Hyrule's reparations out of your own pocket. I don't care if you have to sell your house and all of your armor, it's happening."

Link fought the laughter that threatened to come up at her petulant tone. "Of course, Your Highness."

They passed through the Gatehouse without a fuss. Link noticed there was some dried Lynel excrements in the corner, but they looked old enough to not be of concern. He glanced up towards the vaulted ceiling to search for the Malice that would spout cursed Stals, noting their absence, then followed Zelda further up the path.

"I think that Gatehouse might be a good place to set up as my temporary office until the Castle is more thoroughly cleaned out," Zelda declared mostly to herself. "I highly doubt any part of the Castle will be as open and easily accessible for the next year or so, plus it's close to the Dining Hall and my suites once those are cleared out and accessible. Typically the Queen has an office in the Eastern Wing near the library regardless so it will be close enough for now."

Link knew what she was doing: Zelda tended to ramble when she was nervous or antsy. Approaching the Sanctum after spending an entire century is suspended animation with the incarnation of pure evil there would certainly be a reasonable excuse to be wary of going back. Link himself felt a little anxious to see what was left behind after Ganon destroyed half of the floor with his lasers. He never got to see the destruction after Zelda brought him back out to Hyrule Field.

"... and I suppose we'll need to consider compensation for creating new furniture, but I'm sure it can be done. Also, we need to remember to start funding the rebuilding of the towns in Central Hyrule and the reparations in the villages first, even though there's not much from what we witnessed in our travels. I'm sure there will be requests as soon as I send out a memo telling the village leaders what I am intending on doing. But that's only if we find the treasury. Plus-"

"Zelda."

She stopped and turned on her heels, looking at him with wide eyes. Link smiled and closed the distance between them. He put his hands on her shoulders, grip gentle and grounding.

"One thing at a time," he whispered. "First, let's assess the damage, okay?"

She nodded once then turned back around. Surprisingly enough, through her ranting Zelda had led them straight to the entrance of the Sanctum. The towers loomed over their heads, a stark reminder of the once-grand splendor that was Hyrule Castle. Link looked out towards the countryside and saw the dormant Divine Beasts in the distance on their mountaintops, asleep but still facing the Castle from their final assault.

In front of him, Zelda was still standing under the grand archways, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Link took her hand and loosened her fingers, causing her to break her gaze away from the doorway and look at him with uncertain eyes. He nodded once, then started walking forwards. She trailed behind him, her grip hard against his fingers, and soon they broke through the threshold to see what Ganon had done.

The floor was completely demolished. Only a thin strip of flooring against the wall remained around the hole that Ganon had crashed through, but other wise the room was well-preserved. The stairs to the throne remained, the only damage being the decay of the red rugs that had been laid on the floor. Frayed banners still draped proudly, their colors miraculously still bright after all this time.

Zelda let go of Link's hand and strode purposefully towards the stairs. He watched her as she ascended, head held high despite the destruction around her. Link looked up to the ceiling and saw the cocoon that Ganon had been festering in, still dangling in bits and rotting away without its host. That would have to be another thing that they cleared out first. Perhaps one of the Rito could help...

When he looked back to Zelda, she was approaching her father's throne. Elegantly - at least, as elegantly as one could amidst the wreckage - she brushed off the dust that had accumulated on the cushion and sat. She looked completely in place, like she belonged there her entire life. Her eyes roamed the entire Sanctum, taking in the damage and decay, eyes finally drifting to the ceiling where Ganon's body once was sealed, along with her. From where he stood, he could see her lip wobble and her eyes begin to get misty.

He made to go to her, but Zelda quickly stood and started rushing down the stairs. As Link went to meet her, she tried to pass him and rush out of the Sanctum, but he was too quick and caught her in his arms. She struggled for less than a second before she sobbed and buried her head in his chest. He held her, letting her cry and weep and wail for the first time since before the Calamity. After all, this was all so fresh for her. She didn't see with her human eyes what Ganon had done to her kingdom and her home. She was protected by Hylia, shielded from the parts of the destruction that would hurt her the most.

And now she was seeing it all.

Link was reminded of the last time she had cried in his arms like this, collapsing against his chest as sobs racked through her whole body. Then, she had been charged with grief, the fresh loss of their friends and her father filling her mind as the Calamity raged around them. Now, here in the aftermath, she was seeing the damage with clearer eyes. Last time she was here, she was facing down Ganon. Her eyes went nowhere else but him. The reality of her destroyed home was starting to crash down on her.

"Do you want to leave?"

Zelda shook her head and pressed her face into his chest even more.

"Would you like to sit down?"

She paused, still heaving breath but no longer crying out, and then nodded. Link quickly hoisted her into his arms and carried her to the stairs. As gently as he could, he sat down with her in his lap, cradled up against him as she continued to cry. He looked around, taking in the wreckage, and he sighed as he held her tighter. They certainly had their work cut out for them.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Zelda nodded and sniffed. "There's no other option."

"We can see about fixing up the Temple of Time," he offered quietly. "Have that as the Queen's seat until the Castle is finished being repaired. It will be easier to fix up and-"

"The Temple of Time is a sacred place for the Royal Family," Zelda cut in softly. "It has remained so for over ten thousand years. We cannot use it as my seat. Besides, in order to relate to the suffering that my people have endured in my absence, I too must suffer."

"That's a shit excuse," Link let himself say. Zelda leaned away from him and looked in his eyes with an aghast frown. "You don't deserve to suffer. You suffered enough by keeping Ganon at bay. You can't blame yourself for all of this because that excuses him of any fault in the matter. You can still lead the people without giving yourself more burdens and you can't be an effective leader if you're too busy shaming yourself for things out of your control."

Zelda's eyes were searching his, red and puffy from her tears, and she sighed, "But we cannot move forward without facing the past. I cannot lead my people without seeing first-hand what Ganon had done to them. To _us_. In order for me to lead the people of Hyrule away from the destruction of the Calamity, I must be able to move past what he had done to me personally."

"Please do not make yourself suffer because you feel you deserve it," he pleaded. He took her chin before she could look away and pressed his forehead to hers. "Promise me that, okay? You won't do anyone any good if you're wallowing in undeserved self-hatred."

Zelda let out a half sob, half laugh, and kissed him. It was soft and sweet, pure and loving amidst the chaos and ruin that was their former home. She sighed and pressed against him a little harder, then pulled away to lay her forehead on his shoulder again.

"What would I ever do without you?"

"With some luck, you won't have to go through it again."

She was silent for a long moment, mulling over his words, and then she nuzzled closer to him as she murmured, "Thank you."

Link chuckled and ran his hands through her hair. "That's what I'm here for, love."

She pressed a small kiss to his throat, right above one of his smaller scars, and she smiled against his skin. "What do we do now?"

"Plan for what we need to do for the Castle," he suggested. "With everyone cataloging the damages, we can get a good idea of what has a higher priority for us living here, like fixing the floor and roofs in many of the rooms. Doors and broken walls can be done last, after stairs are filled in and filth is cleaned up."

"Then we can work on opening up the halls that have been caved in so there's more places for people to stay," Zelda added. She sat up and looked in his eyes as she said, "And go through the old Ministry offices to see if any tomes regarding legislature and operations are still legible. I can't run a country without laws, and unfortunately I spent more time with devotions and research than I did with governing with my father, so I'll need all the help I can get."

Link smiled and gave her a small hug. "It will all fall in to place. One thing at a time, okay?"

Zelda was quiet for a long moment, her eyes searching his again. With a sigh, she lifted her hand and pushed his hair away from his forehead. He could see her eyes dart to the scar he knew was under his bangs, but she did not make mention of it. Instead, she said softly, "And what about you, Sir Link? What do you intend to do?"

Without hesitation, he replied, "Whatever you ask."

His answer made her frown and she began twirling a lock of his hair around her finger. "That wasn't the answer I was looking for."

"Then what did you want to hear?"

Zelda's frown turned thoughtful and she dropped her hand to his shoulder, cupping his neck. The silence stretched on longer than he would have liked, but he did not spur her on. She needed to be clear with her intentions, and forcing her to answer when she was not ready was a foolish decision.

"I suppose I was hoping you'd be more willing to do it on you own, not by my command," she finally whispered after another tense minute. She met his eyes and added, "I would hate to force you into doing something you dislike because you feel as if you have to do it, since I am your sovereign."

Link felt a warmth in his chest at her vulnerable admission. He smiled and cupped her cheek with his hand as he murmured, "Zelda, I will only do something for you because it is _you_ that asks, not as my Princess. That's why I'm here with you and not in my home in Hateno. You are the only reason."

Her smile bloomed brightly on her face, outshining the destruction around them, and Link couldn't stop himself from kissing her. He didn't care if someone possibly came up and found them. All he wanted was her and for her to be happy. If that meant staying at her side as she traversed the crazy new world they found themselves deposited in, then he'd do it.

Zelda sighed into the kiss, pressing herself to him and erasing any space that had been between their bodies. Her obsession with his hair became apparent once more when her fingers slid along his scalp and nestled themselves between the strands. She gave them a little tug and was rewarded with a little gasp that Link couldn't hold back. He was tempted to seethe at her brazenness, but the touch of her lips and her body kept him from fighting. Besides, everyone else was busy excavating the Castle. The odds of someone coming up and walking in on them at this very moment were very slim.

Link gripped her waist and slid his tongue into her mouth as he angled himself to deepen their kiss. Zelda quivered in his grasp and her mewls were soft, and it took all of Link's restraint to not push further, not when they were in the midst of Ganon's destruction.

But maybe that's what she needed. Instead of seeing the place that Ganon and his minions raged for a century, Zelda would see this place as where he took her for the first time in the Castle. Link mulled over the ramifications if someone were to find them in this precarious position. After all, Zelda swore up and down that the people of Hyrule needed a secure, level-headed leader. Someone walking in on her being serviced by her Appointed Knight would not be a good look for her. After all, there were those who still were uncertain of her abilities as a leader and if word got out that she was busy being a lustful teenager and not working on leading Hyrule back to prosperity, it could prove to be the end that unraveled her already-short rule.

It was what she wanted, and he would not deny her of some agency for once.

One of Zelda's hands clutched at his shirt, pulling him out of his thoughts, and she grinned against his lips when he inhaled sharply. She moved her body, maneuvering her legs so they were on the sides of his hips, and she lowered herself down against his crotch. He hissed at the contact of her clothes center over his swelling erection and nipped at her lower lip in a warning.

When her thumb dragged against the shell of his ear, his resolve crumbled and he pulled her even closer. He shivered at her touch and clutched her waist tighter to ground himself. He could _not_ lose control.

Zelda must have sensed his restraint, because she was quick to press her hips and chest against his. The shocks of arousal sparked through him and Link fought the moan that lodged itself in his throat.

He broke the kiss and moved to her neck, giving it a quick nibble before he buried his face against her shoulder. "Slow down, love."

Zelda nipped at the shell of his ear - dear, _Goddesses_ , that was amazing - and she murmured in a hot breath, "No one will disturb us up here. We're completely alone."

Link inhaled sharply and tightened his arms around her. He was certainly wrapped around his woman's fingers, tempted into giving her what she wanted. It's what he wanted, too. Maybe if he just-

"Princess Zelda? Sir Link? Are you still in there?"

Zelda's head dropped to Link's shoulder and he had to forcibly stop himself from laughing. Leave it to the Goddess to find something to slow them down right when he was about to give in to her and they were starting to pick up the pace. Link placed a soft kiss to the exposed skin of Zelda's neck and made to remove her from his lap. Zelda was visibly flustered, but she was quick to smooth herself out with a quick finger-comb through of her hair and a deep breath.

"Yes! We're in here!" She turned towards the entrance of the Sanctum right as Lukan came bounding in with a broad smile on her face. "What is it, Lukan?"

The Gerudo soldier stopped a few paces short of Zelda and gave her a bow at her waist. "It seems Group Farore discovered the treasury, or what appears to be the treasury. A whole vault full of gems and rupees! It was hidden behind a pile of rubble that Heehl moved out of the way when we got to a dead end near the library. We suspect it is the treasury or at least a hidden stash of money that you could really use, but we don't want to make that assumption until you get a good look at it."

Zelda looked over her shoulder at Link, excitement clear in her eyes, and he met her gaze with a smile of his own. They could finish their escapades later.

"Very well," Zelda stated after turning back to Lukan. "Lead the way."

"Of course."

Link followed the women, falling behind Zelda as she and Lukan discussed the location of the uncovered stash. He smiled softly at her excited tone, a complete change from the sultry and lustful notes her voice had taken on as she straddled him, and he decided then and there he was going to have to get used to the interruptions. After all, Zelda was going to be Queen and many others would be vying for her attention from now on.

* * *

 _tbc._


	9. Together

_**A/N I have been asleep for the past one hundred years...**_

 _Sorry it took so long for me to update. Life is busy, I am busy. And honestly I lost a lot of motivation due to it._

 _Anyways, here you go, the moment you all have been waiting for: Link and Zelda's first time!_

* * *

 **Part Nine: Together**

* * *

For the most part, Link was healing well after the battle. Despite having used Mipha's Grace to heal the wounds and expel the poison that had laced the Yiga's weapons, the poison itself had still done a number on him and even the powerful healing gift Mipha had given him couldn't fully fix the damage. He doubled up on some Hearty Elixirs and that appeared to tide him over for the most part, but the jostling from the their trotting horses seemed to remind him of the aches and dull pains the poison left behind. Zelda suggested many times that they rest and possibly search for a healer, but Link refused every single time and trudged forward, regardless of the pained grimace on his face.

They arrived at the Spring of Power on the morning three days after the Yiga Incident - which was what Zelda was officially calling it - and Link was painfully pale. He waved off her concerned objections as he led her to the waters of the Spring. He pulled out his sword, like he always had when she went to the Springs to pray, effectively stopping any argument from starting. Zelda glared at him, but listened as she shed her boots and her top so she was standing in just her pants and undershirt. The early autumn sun warmed her skin pleasantly, a delightful sensation mixed with the lukewarm water of the Spring.

Her hands clasped together and she bowed her head.

 _"Goddess Hylia,"_ she thought airily as her body and mind easing into the trance she had been in for one hundred years, _"I come to your Spring seeking guidance and offering gratitude. The powers granted to me, handed down through the ages, have saved this land. And I thank you for providing me with the honor of being the avatar of your Grace. Goddess Din, I thank you for the power and for the creation of this world and of the Triforce. Without you, we would not exist. Hyrule would not be what it is today without your presence. By your Grace..."_

She opened her eyes and stared up at Hylia's statue, a strong silhouette in the afternoon sun. A long beat of silence was her answer so she closed her eyes and continued on, _"I have been guided here by the being you created, Goddess Hylia. She speaks of my powers and the need for them to manifest once more. I need your guidance in how to let them reemerge. As the last of your Priestesses and of the Royal Family, it is my duty to maintain this power handed down through time and continue its line. What am I to do next?"_

A slight breeze tickled her face and she opened her eyes to see the sun had almost set over the plains above the Spring. Her body shivered and she waited another long moment. After a second breeze hit her, that's when she heard it:

 _... dom... wis... dom..._

She frowned and listened harder.

 _Wisdom... Wisdom... Wisdom..._

She smiled and unfolded her hands, pleased with the knowledge that they were on the right track. _"Thank you."_

Zelda turned and started wading towards the shore of the Spring. Link was still standing there, his back to her, leaning heavily on the Master Sword as he guarded her from possible assailants. For the past few days, he had been extra cautious and it showed.

"Link."

He visibly jumped and whirled around, his sword halfway drawn out of the sheath, and he stared at her with wide eyes before sighing and rubbing his face with his arm. "I'm sorry. I should have been more alert."

"It's no trouble," she replied. She reached his side and placed a hand on his arm. "Are you feeling alright? We can stay here for the night and head back to Mount Lanayru in the morning."

Link shook his head and placed the Master Sword on his back. "We should get to a stable, at the very least. Every time I passed through here, I'd get ambushed by at least two Yiga blademasters. I don't want to deal with that right now."

"Because you're unwell?"

He frowned, a deadpan type with an unamused glare, and he stated, "No, because I want to keep _you_ safe."

There was something in his look that deemed this discussion over, and despite his ailment she couldn't disagree with him. News of her existence again had reached all corners of the kingdom. There were still those who dissented her arrival and subsequent mission to reclaim the throne and rule Hyrule under the monarchy again, though none as strongly as the Yiga Clan. Unfortunately that meant she and her Knight had to be extra vigilant, staying in public places and taking their horses everywhere as opposed to hiking or walking like they did often before the Calamity.

That also meant going out of the way to find a stable or village that they could stay in for the night, which at times could take hours and would cut into the time they spent actually sleeping. Fortunately today the closest stable was just a ride up the hill and they could be settled in and asleep before sundown. Which would be a major plus for Link.

Zelda's eyes drifted to her companion as he made his way down the long-standing corridor and pushed the vines hiding the Spring to the side. Even though he had practically passed out right after the Yiga Incident, he was awake before sunrise the next morning and hadn't slept much since then. She would continuously suggest he rest, only for him to rebuff and push forward. It was a worrying trend, especially when she considered the pallidness of his skin and the shadows under his eyes. She remembered he had mentioned once before the Calamity that he trained with the Sheikah when he was young, giving him the knowledge of how to go for long periods of time without sleep, but this was excessive. Even she knew that the Sheikah would rest when they were injured or sick, and to her Link was both.

"We should hurry." Link's voice was rough and quiet, but she heard him all the same as he lead her through the quarry. "I smell rain."

"Lamenting your lack of foresight again, Sir Link?"

She hoped teasing him would get him to relax and listen to her, but he remained stoically stern as he gave her a sidelong look over his shoulder.

"Lamenting the unsafe conditions we would be in if it were to start," he commented brusquely, causing her to frown. "We can't climb out of here with the cliffs slick with rain. And I don't want to try and use Revali's Gale with both of us. It might not work as well or at all with the additional weight."

He quickened his pace - a surprising feat for someone so obviously exhausted - and she hastened after him. The sound of rolling thunder filled the canyon and Link swore loudly. He snatched her hand and they started running towards the opening of the quarry at the base of Death Mountain. With more finesse and strength most ill and weak could achieve, Link quickly hoisted Zelda up and practically threw her so she didn't have to climb the single cliff side they had to scale. He was right behind her, leaping towards the top and pulling himself to his feet right as the rain started to fall.

Link cursed again and whistled sharply. Their horses that were on top of the hill neighed and came galloping down, meeting them. He helped her into Storm's saddle then whacked the stallion's rear, causing him to neigh loudly and start galloping off - with her almost getting launched out of the saddle at the sudden jump. Her yelp of surprise was mingled with another roll of thunder in the distance and she struggled to keep herself steady as she turned around to see Link climbing onto Anope's back and spurring her on. Zelda righted herself and steered Storm towards the path that led eastward. The rain bit into her skin at a steadily increasing rate, beginning to blur her vision and hinder her navigational abilities.

The sound of Anope's footsteps slapping against the muddy path were distinct, even through the rain. Link spurred her on, giving off the appearance that he was going to pass her before he snagged her reins out of her hands and tugged Storm along, steering him towards the stable in the distance. She would have huffed at him were they not trying to avoid getting electrocuted.

By the time they reached the tent, lightning was now dancing along the sky and sparking against the Master Sword and Link's Hylian shield. He darted into the tent, ignoring the cries of shock from the stable's inhabitants and stumbling to the ground right before a bolt of lightning struck hit where he had been standing not a second earlier. After the electricity dissipated, Zelda rushed in right after him, winded and soaked, and stood over him as he laid on the stable's floor, laughing breathlessly.

"What's... so funny?" she gasped as she doubled over. Rain dripped from her nose and hair and onto his face, which for the first time in a while was weightless with a smile.

After a long moment, he wiped his face dry - or at least attempted to - and opened his eyes as he commented, "We have the worst luck with the rain, don't we?"

Zelda gave him a soft smile and shook her head. "I suppose so."

They stared at each other, mirth clear in both of their eyes, ignorant of the spectators and their whispers. Zelda was very tempted to sweep him into a deep kiss, long and loving, but a clearing throat stopped her and made her fall onto her rump. The two soaked teenagers looked to the offending noise, only to see the stable's attendant, Rudi, was grinning down at them with an amused look on his face.

"Greetings, Your Highness. Are you two staying for the night?"

Zelda stood up straight and cleared her throat, fighting the hot blush that was starting to burn her cheeks, and she nodded quickly. "Yes, please. Two beds. And possibly some towels, if you have any?"

Rudi gave her a knowing smile and reached underneath his counter. He pulled out two fluffy towels, a little off-white from use but still soft and absorbent enough. "Forty rupees for the both of you."

Right as Zelda reached for her pouch, Link was already laying a silver rupee on the counter. "Keep the change."

"Paying off your dues?" Rudi commented cheekily. "It's going to take more than that."

"I'll give it to you eventually," Link mumbled offhandedly with a wave of his hand. "If I give it all to you now, we'll crash the stable's economy."

Rudi waved him off and took the rupees while Link and Zelda took their towels and headed to their beds. Completely perplexed, Zelda took Link's shoulder and hissed under her breath, "What does he mean when he says _'last time?'_ What did you do now?"

Link pulled his hair free of its tie and rubbed his towel over his head. She heard him sigh from underneath the fabric then reply, "Back before we fought Ganon, I was making a trip up to Robbie for some supplies for the fight through the Castle. The Slate was acting up and sent me here instead of the lab so I just decided to make the hike up the hill. Unfortunately I forgot about the Guardian that was behind a crag of rocks and it saw me. Needless to say, instead of hitting me with its beam, the stable got hit. Just a little part, but it was enough to cause a fire and damage where the horses usually rested."

Zelda didn't realize her jaw dropped until Link had finally pulled the towel away from his head, revealing his comically fuzzy hairdo in the process, and he gave her a look that plainly said _What?_

"You haven't paid him back for the damages?"

Link shrugged and started patting down his clothes, then he glanced at her and said, "Dry yourself off. You'll get sick."

She huffed and started wringing out her hair, but she didn't drop the subject. "Link, am I going to have to use most of the treasury to fund repair projects that are _your fault?"_

He gave her an exasperated and affronted look and replied, "No! I repay everyone who's gotten something broken on my behalf. This one was halfway paid off because I needed to buy stuff from Robbie, and you know he won't give me a discount. So I helped put out the fires and wrangled up the horses that got away, but I promised Rudi I'd give him the rest of the money once we were done with Ganon. He's pretty easy-going so he's not too hung up on it since we fixed most of it ourselves. If it had happened at the Dueling Peaks Stable, Tasseren would have worked me to death until I paid him back in full. You'd still be in the castle if that was the case."

Zelda huffed and tied her hair into a tangled braid. "I suppose that will do. Just promise me that most of the reparations that the monarchy will fund aren't from your doing."

Link smiled and removed his weapons before he sat, hand over his heart and a sincere look on his face. "On my honor."

She couldn't help but smile as she finished drying off her clothes and pulling off the outer layers. Link handed her a blanket and she wrapped herself up as she pulled off her boots and trousers. She saw his eyes darken when her bare leg poked out from the parted blanket, and she flushed when he looked up at her and flashed her a wink. Her eyes darted around the surprisingly empty stable. Rudi had gone out to the front counter again and Beedle, whom Link had introduced to her when they first set out with their travels, was sitting down on the other side of the tent as he filled out his sales ledger for the day.

After Zelda slipped on some clean trousers and a dry shirt, she dropped the blanket and climbed into the bed. Not as soft as the one at Link's house, but still comfy enough to give her a nice rest, she settled into the pillow and watched as Link shed his damp clothes and pulled on a dry tunic to wear to sleep. He draped their wet clothing over the foot of his bed and climbed under his blanket, as well. The Master Sword was lifted from where he had set it down and he draped it over his lap, ever ready to protect and fight.

"Link, try to get some sleep tonight," she urged. He met her eyes right as the lanterns along the walls were dimmed for those who were there to sleep. "There is no reason for you to not be safe here."

There was something in his gaze, trepidation and anxiety clear in the blue depths, and it told her everything she needed to know: he was scared. Not for himself, but for her. She knew he was kicking himself for not being vigilant enough to stop the Yiga Incident, and she swore since then he had become more wary and cautious with every move they made.

He felt like he messed up again.

Zelda sat up, her legs swinging over the edge of the mattress, and reached through the chasm between the beds. Her hand laid gently on his knee and she felt his slight flinch at her touch. She pinned him down with her certain stare and gave him a smile. "You have done a fantastic job of keeping me safe. Do not deprive yourself of rest because you feel it is your duty. As your sovereign and charge, I am _requesting_ you to rest so you can be at your best."

Link rolled his jaw - again with the jaw! - and he sniffed indignantly before laying the Master Sword down on the mattress and settling under the blankets with it. At her disbelieving stare, he shrugged and closed his eyes.

"Just in case."

The lack of fight spoke of how truly tired he was, and despite her worry over his situation and health, Zelda was satisfied with the outcome of the day and laid down on her own bed. A little stiff for her liking, but it was better than the ground in the wilderness at this point in time. A sacrifice she was willing to make so Link could sleep for once.

The next morning, Zelda rose with the sun. She rolled over and saw Link was already awake, but barely, and his skin was closer to his healthier tan. He rubbed his eyes with his palms and yawned loudly - baring his teeth like a Lynel in the process - and he slowly pulled himself up to a sitting position. His blankets remained on his shoulder as he grinned lazily down at her, a gracious gesture in the face of his obstinance the night prior, and Zelda smiled in response as she followed his lead and sat up, as well.

"To Mount Lanayru?" he asked, voice rough with sleep but soft with his typical affection.

Her heart suddenly slammed to her ribs and she managed one shaky nod as she affirmed, "To Mount Lanayru."

They redressed in their traveling clothes, thanked Rudi for the place to sleep, and Link quickly whipped up some omelets in the cooking pot at the front of the stable. Luckily for them, the rain had receded and the morning air was cool and crisp. The sun was steadily rising in the sky as they quietly ate their meals. The other patrons of the stable were starting to wake, their sounds filling the still air and signaling Link and Zelda that it was time to go. Link checked the saddles on Storm and Anope then gestured for Zelda to start moving. With agile strength, he hoisted her onto Storm's back then jogged to Anope and climbed atop of her.

Before the sun truly brightened Akkala's hillsides, the Princess and her Knight were galloping south towards Mount Lanayru.

It took them two days and one night at the Wetland Stable to reach the Lanayru Promenade. Link whined about the fact that they could have saved a half day of traveling off had they cut through the Lanayru Wetlands, but Zelda insisted they stay at the stable. She did it for his ease of mind of the dangers in the wilderness, but he did not comment on the matter.

When they reached Kakariko, they did so without much ceremony. There were many hello's and promises to meet when they returned from the mountain, but no fanfare. They left their horses at the spring that housed the village's Goddess Statue, and soon Link and Zelda were trekking up the steep hill that overlooked the village and through the Great Fairy's Woods.

The sun was setting when they passed through Lanaryu's West Gate and Link abruptly claimed it would be best to camp out for the night. The moment she was about to protest, he gave her a glare that silenced her objection completely. The sickly look he had gained after the Yiga Incident was almost completely gone now, save for the slight bags under his eyes and the lack of rosiness in his cheeks, and Zelda was sure he believed he was feeling well enough to protect her through the late hours of night.

She nodded quietly, then made to set up her sleeping roll against the walls of the Promenade. While she worked, she noticed Link set up wood to make a fire and strike a piece of flint with the edge of his sword. As soon as the fire was lit, he started pulling out various ingredients from his pack and sorted them into little piles. She watched, transfixed, as he grabbed the small cooking pot they commissioned while in Goron City and placed it on top of the fire.

From there he added some of the monster parts and bugs into the pot, stewed them for a few moments, then poured the brew into little glass bottles she just noticed were next to him. For the next half an hour, Link brewed multiple spicy elixirs, each with a different combination of bugs and parts. When six little bottles were filled to the brim with red shimmering elixir, Link took the pot from the fire and brought it over to the water lapping against the stones behind him. He washed it out quickly the brought it back before pulling out more ingredients from his pack and starting on their dinner.

"Look at you," Zelda cooed, impressed at his finesse once more. Link looked up and pitched his eyebrows together in confusion. "All domestic. I might not need to hire a chef for the Castle after all, if I have you."

Link's cheeks turned pink and he cleared his throat. "I enjoy cooking. It's one of the few things I remembered to do when I first woke up."

A niggling of a memory tickled her mind, something Link had offhandedly mentioned to her when they first began opening up to each other all those years ago. It made her heart feel heavy, knowing something about him that he did not, and her stomach churned at the idea of mentioning it to him.

"Your mother taught you."

He froze and looked up from the meat he was preparing, eyes wide and clearly shocked.

"She had been one of the cooks in the Castle, before she got sick," she added. She saw Link's hand tighten around the paring knife he was using. "That's how your parents met, because your father had been tasked of protecting the food for my mother and father at the beginning of their reign. There are threats to the Royal Family at all times, and when my mother was first crowned Queen, there had been some dissent about her and her policies. Although my grandmother had sired my mother first, there were many who believed that my uncle would have been a better ruler. He refused to usurp the throne from her, knowing the lore regarding the Goddess Blood and the line of Hylia, and instead went to Holodrum as an ambassador. He died when I was twelve during a conflict at the border with Labrynna, and my father almost intervened but was stopped by yours. This was around the time your mother had passed from the same illness as mine."

Zelda met Link's eyes and was shocked by their glassy appearance. She was aware that there were times he felt guilt and anger regarding the past and its blankness in his mind, but never had she seen sadness like she saw now. Her heart felt a little tight at that thought.

So she decided to continue with a happier one, "You told me she loved to cook and would teach you all sorts of recipes. When you found out that I was barely eating because of stress, you came to my room in the middle of the night with a bowl of meat stew and pumpkin pie. It reminded me of some of my favorite meals when I was growing up, and since we were just starting to get along it made me so happy that you were willing to overlook my prior treatment of you and comfort me."

"But you told me that you preferred fruit cake..."

She smiled at the far-off look in his eyes, figuring he was recalling the nights they spent in her study as she ate food he brought her, and shrugged. "Yes, but I also told you that they only made that for my birthday."

"So I snuck you one the next night," he murmured as he blinked and came back to the present.

Zelda smiled warmly and hugged her legs closer to her chest. It had been one of the first nights they truly opened up to each other, and a catalyst in their close relationship that followed. "Yes, and it was delightful."

Link hummed in thought, then immediately went back to preparing their meal. There was a soft smile on his face when he glanced back up at her and thanked her quietly. She response was a smile and nod, then quietly waited for him to finish up their meal. Once the meat was seared with a seasoning of Hyrule Herb and mushrooms, he handed her a plate - a large leaf and forks and knives whittled from trees in Tabantha - and they dug in. Link, as per usual, inhaled his food and was quick to clean the pot once more while Zelda was slow and savored hers. Like every meal before it, it was succulent and juicy, tasty and satisfying.

With a hum and a pat to her stomach, she met Link's eyes again and stated, "I wasn't kidding. You're going to be my chef."

His look of horror made her laugh so loud, it echoed off the stone walls of the ruins. Though too soon, she felt drowsy and yawned against her will. Link chuckled and told her to sleep, which she was all too willing to comply to his gentle order. Her eyes were closed before her head hit her makeshift pillow, and just as fast as she drifted to a dreamless sleep, she woke hours later. When the sun rose through the mountains, Zelda was alerted by the sound Link cleaning his blade. As she shifted, he glanced up but his face did not fade from the stoic facade he typically wore.

"Good morning."

She frowned at his curt tone, a complete turn-around from his lighthearted behavior the night before, and she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

She heard him sigh and put the Master Sword in the sheath. When she moved her hands from her face, her vision cleared and focused on him and his stern face once more. What was perplexing and almost immediately caught her eye was the abundance of bananas to his left.

"What's -?"

"Yiga," he cut in sharply. Her breath came in with the same amount of abruptness. He stood and brushed off his pants before kicking the bananas into the ravine. "You must have been exhausted, sleeping through that ruckus."

When he offered his hand to help her stand, she took it graciously and was pulled to her feet. "We _have_ been traveling almost nonstop for a week. I suppose the large dinner was a factor, as well."

Link flashed her a slight smile as he swept up her sleeping roll and tightly rolled it into his pack. He stomped out the vestiges of the fire and handed her a leaf-wrapped parcel, all in such a quick succession it made her dizzy. When she finally reoriented herself and sent him a questioning look, Link merely said, "On-the-go breakfast. If we want to reach the summit before sundown, we need to hurry."

Appearing to deem the conversation over, Link started heading towards the eastern gates at the end of the Promenade. There was a jittery quality to his steps and the way his eyes darted around, observing every crag and nook for hidden enemies. As Zelda ate her rice balls, she pondered what would have made him so on edge - other than the most recent Yiga attack, of course. He said it himself that the monsters had likely fled into the secluded areas of Hyrule, in fear of him and the destruction of their master. Though she didn't consider herself naive, she knew that could be completely false. For all they knew, there could be an entire camp of blin folk waiting to ambush them behind the next corner.

Though she had to eat "on-the-go," Zelda did her best to savor every bite. It was warm still, plus the lingering taste of sunshroom told her Link was preparing her for the cold they were about to endure. So she made sure to eat every last morsel before she picked her fingers clean and tossed the leaf into the water below. As sped up her steps so she was closer to Link, she spotted the closed-off look on his face again and she felt a strange emptiness settle in her stomach.

It reminded her too much of the blank stare he always had when he first became her appointed knight.

"Can we talk for a second?"

He looked over his shoulder and nodded once, but his eyes still darted around to the trees on the other side of the promenade and the stairwell to their left.

"Is there a reason you are so on edge? What happened with that Yiga attack?"

Instantly Link's shoulders stiffened and she heard him suck in his breath through his teeth. Perhaps he didn't expect her to be so keenly observant to his mannerisms. Didn't he know by now? She could tell when the slightest of things was off with him.

She halted her steps. "Tell me, Link."

He stopped as well and turned slowly, his hand immediately flying to the back of his neck and rubbing it, the guilty look on his face returning in tenfold.

"Link."

When he met her gaze, he sighed and dropped his hands to his side. "I knew he was following us as soon as we passed through Kakariko -"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Link had the grace to look ashamed, but his words did not convey the same guilt. "I didn't want to worry you."

"Wha- _Worry_ me?" She blinked with confusion. "Is that what this is? Your on-edge behavior is worrying me more than the knowledge of a shadow following us would!"

He huffed and met her eyes, hard and frustrated at her outburst, and he replied, "It;s because you've been bent out of shape and fussing over me for the past week because of the last Yiga attack. If you had known that another had come and was fighting me, you would have been even more worrisome over my well-being, despite my capability of taking care of it. I don't want you to be freaking out because I'm doing my job."

She felt the fight drain out of her at his statement and she dropped her gaze to the stones beneath her feet. What had she been beating herself up over a century prior in this exact same spot? Thinking wrongly of his intentions due to her own prejudice and mindless thinking? She sighed and pinched her eyes shut to hold back the tears.

"I just wish you had been honest about it instead of hiding it from me."

"I don't want you to get upset in case I got hurt again."

Zelda felt her lips tug up into a smile on their own accord and she lifted her chin so she could look in his eyes. "My love, I can't control that. I will worry about you until the day I die. That I promise."

Surprisingly enough, Link's cheeks turned pink and an adorably stunned look took over his entire face. She giggled at his bashful reaction to her statement and closed the distance between them. "Never think you can't tell me something because you don't want to worry me. We're in this together, through thick and thin. Just please do not resort to keeping secrets from me because you wish to spare me some anxiety."

Link cleared his throat and averted his eyes, the pink on his cheeks starting to darken further. "R-right. Well, we better keep moving. I don't want to get stuck on the mountain without enough elixirs."

"I brought my cold-weather clothes," Zelda remarked as Link took a step back and dug into his pack. "We won't need them as often."

"Yes, but lately the mountain has been much colder than it was a century ago," he stated. The elixirs were opened and he handed one to her. "Ever since I freed Naydra from the malice it seems the temperature is especially biting near the top. The elixirs are to help stave off that chill when our clothes don't cut it."

Zelda took the elixir and fought the urge to gag at the bitter taste - bugs and guts, just lovely. Once her stomach settled, she pulled her coat out of her pack and switched to her snow boots. Link had started to change, as well, when she asked, "Naydra? The dragon? What happened to him?"

Link met her eyes right as he poked his head through his Snowquill Tunic and frowned. "You didn't know?"

She shook her head. "I was aware of time and of Hyrule itself, but my sight was limited in some aspects. Keeping my vigil against Ganon took all of my focus, I'm afraid."

He cast her a sympathetic look as he pulled on his warmer pants and recalled to her, "I was looking for a shrine when I found myself at the peak of Mount Lanayru. Naydra was perched above Hylia's statue, covered in malice. She requested I free him, and I did, then I found the shrine behind Her. Since then, he's been flying around more often, sending out snowstorms in his wake. Naydra is peaceful for the most part. But he and the other dragons don't like when you get too-"

There was a rumbling roar from the mountain, deep and ancient, and Zelda's heart plummeted to her stomach. She looked behind Link to see a long shadow begin to appear at the peak of the mountain, swirling like the clouds before completely solidifying into a long, glowing blue mass.

"Is that -?"

"Ah, shit," Link groaned as he pulled his weapons back on and grabbed her wrist. "I was hoping to get on the mountain before he came out."

"Why?"

Link started walking through the east gate and down the path towards the Naydra Snowfield. "He tends to shoot ice if you get too close. I don't want to suffer through _that_ again."

" _Again?!"_

Link didn't answer and instead led her up the small cliff that led to the snowfield and climbed up behind her right as Naydra started his decent down the mountain. She could see balls of ice floating away from his head - a warning - and gulped as his giant eyes locked onto them both. They started pushing through the snow, out of his way and hopefully far from where the ice would land. The air stung as it hit her face, cold and crisp as it billowed down from the top of the mountain. She could see small drafts of air come up from the ground - Naydra's doing, she suspected - and the ancient being bellowed again. It's deep timbre rattled her to her bones and she fought the shiver that racked down her spine.

As she glanced over her shoulder at the majestic being, she saw him dip low enough that one of his paws grazed the entrance of the snowfield. The way his serpentine body moved as if he was swimming in water instead of the air was breathtaking, such a strong and formidable force that had endured for so long. Suddenly, her mind went to the last time she was at the base of this mountain, and the shadows she had seen in the clouds that day, too.

"Link?"

"Hmm?"

"I think Naydra was there, on the day of the Calamity," she whispered, barely audible over the winds that Naydra created as he flew away. "I think I saw his shadow in the clouds."

Surprisingly, Link took her hand. She looked away from the retreating dragon and met his smiling eyes. His silent reply, reassurance and belief, eased the sudden anxiety she felt in the presence of the deity. He gestured for her to start following him up the mountain, and with one last lingering look towards the Promenade where Naydra's tail finally disappeared between the ruined stones, she began walking.

"Naydra is the protector of the Spring of Wisdom," he commented as they started their ascent. "And if I'm not mistaken, the Goddess-Blood Princess is typically associated with that piece of the Triforce. Perhaps he was watching over you on your day of trial."

He glanced over at her, obviously seeing her look of shock at his knowledge of the secrets of Hyrule, and his laugh was airy. Unfortunately for her, Zelda couldn't get past her sputtering to ask how he learned such ancient and classified information.

"The Spring of Courage is also typically associated with the Hero's spirit," he added, she assumed for her benefit.

"How on earth do you know this?! That's classified information!"

Link laughed, that light and breathy laugh, and he replied, "Not for the Master Sword."

They followed the stone path, avoiding patches of ice and thick snow in order to cut back on travel time. Zelda knew if Link had his way, he would have climbed the cliff side or used Revali's Gale to soar up to the peak, but he couldn't quite do that with her. As much as she was tempted to use the travelling function of the Sheikah Slate, Link he was in no rush to test it out with two passengers any time soon.

Not to mention he insisted that they stick together as much as they could. He was certain that there were going to be some monsters lurking around, since they had disappeared from almost every other corner of the kingdom.

"This is a sacred mountain," Zelda bemoaned as they turned another corner, "I'm sure they wouldn't be able to hide here."

"My first trip up the mountain took twice as long as it should because I spent so much time fighting lizalfos," Link countered as he kept trudging forward "The fact that they're not here now is-"

He stopped and his arm shot out, blocking Zelda's path. She knew that look - eyes wide and moving all over, brows drawn, and lips pulled into a focused frown - and she looked out towards where he was staring.

A camp - five towers and two fires - full of moblins, bokoblins, and lizalfos. Two silver bokos and moblins- _how had they matured so much unchecked? -_ and three black of both, while a gold bokoblin sat near the fire at the far side of the camp. The lizalfos were standing guard on the towers, all black and armed with steel-enforced bows. Link took a step back, pushing Zelda back with him, and he quickly ducked them around the corner they had just turned.

He faced her, that focused look remaining, and he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Stay here. I'll take care of them real quick."

"But -"

"You promised to let me do my job." His face did not lose its ferocity, but his eyes softened as his thumbs rubbed soothing circles against her collarbone. "Let me handle this."

Zelda swallowed away the sudden flare of affection and she let herself smile, albeit uneasily. "Good luck."

He winked - _winked of all things! -_ and took a step back. "Thanks."

With that, Link darted off like an arrow shot from a bow. She watched him crouch in the snow, whipping out his bow and quickly dispatching of all five lizalfos on the watch towers before any of the other monsters noticed, his archery skills almost putting Revali and the Rito to shame. He pulled what Zelda could only describe as an oversized mallet - Lynel in design, by the looks of it - and leapt into the camp with the grace of the Zoras. Though when he thrust the mallet against the ground, the earth shook like he was a Goron crashing down from Death Mountain. The remaining blin folk were knocked back, screeching in surprise as they were attacked, and Link starting spinning the mallet. The aura of Urbosa's spirit surrounded him and he slammed the mallet down again as he let loose a strike of her lightning.

Zelda couldn't help but drop her jaw and watch as he switched the mallet for a spear of the same design then started an onslaught of thrusts against the golden bokoblin. As the shocking effect of the lighting wore off, Link flipped away with the finesse of the Gerudo and took out the three black bokoblins behind him before they had time to grab their weapons. One of the silver moblins was able to recover and grab a bow that one of the watch guards had dropped and aim for Link's back. Link, however, spun around and deflected it with his shield, then threw the spear square between his eyes.

The gold boko had grabbed his club by then and moved to strike. Zelda's cry of warning caught in her throat as Link pulled the Master Sword out of his pack and brandished it with a flourish. The gleam of the blade was reflected on the snow that had started to fall and he spun the sword around him, knocking back the advancing gold boko. The two silver bokos were slain faster than her eyes could pick up and the last silver and three black moblins were frozen with ice arrows volleyed from his bow, then pushed off the edge of the cliff to fall to their demise, leaving just the gold boko alone without reinforcements.

This was Link at his strongest, trained by the monks in the shrines and blessed with the full power of the Master Sword.

Why did she ever doubt him?

She answered that before the thought could even manifest fully: because he had already died once. She didn't want to deal with it again.

However, watching him now, taking out some of the last of the monsters that plagued her kingdom, she resolved to never doubt his abilities as her protector. After all, he had saved Hyrule with these skills.

The gold bokoblin fell with a strangled cry, and Link sheathed the Master Sword with a showy twirl and smug grin. He turned back to her, still smug, and he gestured to the dead monsters surrounding him.

"Shall we continue?"

Zelda met him on the path and she took his hand. "Let's go."

Not a speck of blood or guts was on him, despite the carnage he left behind, and Zelda pointed it out to him as they continued their trek up the mountain.

"I've been itching for a good fight," he lamented with a glance to her. "That was too easy, considering their strength."

"Maybe you're just too strong," she teased, causing his cheeks to turn a little pinker than the cold had already done. Her earlier resolution came to mind and she sobered slightly, softening her voice as she squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry I worry about your. I can't help but remember... before, and I don't want to lose you again. So I worry when you get hurt."

Link stopped and he pulled Zelda into his arms. He held her close, leaving not one space between their bodies. His hand held the back of her head against his shoulder and he sighed, "I can't remember how much you worried for me before. It's patchy, and sometimes I feel as if you resent that I can't remember everything that you do."

"I don't resent it," she replied quietly, her voice almost lost in the winds. "I hate that it happened. Everything I do now is because of that day. I don't ever want to go through that pain again."

"I won't allow it." His voice was firm, ending all discussion regarding that fateful day. "As for your worrying, I appreciate your care. It's not often someone has expressed concern for me, at least that I can remember. I'll do my best to avoid situations that will make you worry in the first place."

"I'm glad we have come to this agreement," Zelda murmured as she woefully pulled away from him. "Shall we continue on, then?"

Link's smile was soft, but so warm. With a nod, he took her hand again and started leading her back up the path.

The rest of the trip up the mountain took the whole day, through the blistering winds and swirling snow. They trudged up the unmarked path for hours, stopping once so they could dig out some food for lunch, and by the time they reached the peak, the sun was setting through the clouds and the snowfall had picked up. Link handed Zelda another elixir and they drank up quickly before she made her way to the waters. Without her prayer dress on this time, she felt more comfortable with the chill. In fact, she toed off her boots and pulled her coat over her head, leaving her in her trousers and undershirt like she had done with the other two Springs.

Link's look of surprise was not lost on her, and she merely gave him a smile before she waded into the waters and knelt at the base of Hylia's statue.

 _"Goddess Hylia,"_ she began like she had at the Spring of Power, _"I come to your Spring seeking guidance and offering gratitude. The powers granted to me, handed down through the ages, have saved this land. And I thank you for providing me with the honor of being the avatar of your Grace. Goddess Nayru,_ _I thank you for the wisdom I needed to keep Ganon at bay for the last century. I also thank you for your spirit bringing law to our land. Hyrule would not be what it is today without your presence._ _By your Grace..."_

She opened her eyes, feeling the sting of the cold air bring forth involuntary tears.

 _"I have been guided here by you, Goddess Hylia. You guided me here as part of my quest to let my powers reemerge. As the last of your Priestesses and of the Royal Family, it is my duty to maintain this power and continue its line. What am I to do next?"_

A thought blossomed in the back of her mind, an idea really. She reached within herself, following the idea and letting it grow to something tangible. The sensation reminded her of her century-long commune with Ganon, where her body was immaterial and ethereal as the Goddess Hylia herself emerged from the depths of her very being. She felt warmth despite the cold, the warmth radiating outwards from her chest and to her fingertips and toes. Just like when she had first used the Golden Power against the Guardians in the Blatchery Plain, the warmth was almost hot, like it would burn her hands or anything that she touched. Faintly, she could hear a muffled gasp behind her, but she ignored it in favor of the rush through her veins, the _presence_ she felt touching her soul and tethering her to the land once more.

 _The Power is in you. It is yours._

Just as fast as it had come, Zelda felt the heat leave her body. The cold from the water seeped into her bones and a wave of dizziness hit her faster than an arrow shot from a bow.

"Zelda!"

Strong arms prevented her from collapsing into the waters, and soon they were lifting her from the water and she was being carried away. The biting wind ceased suddenly and she managed to open her eyes to see the blue glow of a shrine encapsulated in a tiny cave. Link was staring down at her with a frantically worried expression, his eyes wide and full of panic.

"Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," she groaned in a rough voice. "Though I may have overdone it."

Link's huff was answer enough. "You were in the water for hours. I'm surprised you weren't an icicle when I pulled you out."

"Was it really that long?" She rubbed her eyes with her hands, which felt awfully heavy.

"Yes," he answered softly. At his short reply, Zelda looked up to him and saw a soft, proud smile on his face. "You did it."

Zelda blinked a few times before lifting her right hand to eye level. Dimly glowing against her skin was a golden Triforce, like it had when she first harnessed her powers the century prior. The power felt subdued, more quiet than it had been back then, but it was there - thrumming under her skin like a second set of veins. Like the voices in her head had told her, it had always been there. She just needed to acknowledge it.

"I suppose I did..."

There was a shift and then suddenly Link was kissing her, all proud and loving as he cradled her to his chest. Zelda eagerly returned his affections, her heavy hands reaching up and threading themselves in his damp hair. She tugged on him, silently telling him to lift her up, and he followed her order seamlessly. She was quickly shifted to his lap, straddling his hips as they kissed fervently. Link's hands were holding her close and rubbing sensually into her back and hips, all while she started to feel the stirrings of arousal deep in her belly.

They hadn't coupled like this since the Yiga Incident, let alone really kissed. And before that was just the time on his bed and before that in Gerudo Town. Despite the amount of time they had been spending together, she barely had any solid amount of time dedicated to worshiping his body like she yearned to. Her hands roamed his shoulders and chest, feeling the cold still linger in the thick feathers of his tunic. Her mouth opened and she took his lip between her teeth, pressing down gently right as she ground down her hips. In the rush of victory, her courage was bolstered and her hunger awakened.

She could do anything.

Her hands fumbled for his waistband, skipping all needless foreplay, and she could feel Link's trembling under her. When her fingers grazed the hair beneath his belly button his breath hitched and he exhaled unevenly. She broke their kiss to look in his eyes but was surprised to see them still squeezed shut, a hesitant look on his face otherwise.

"Link?"

His eyes slid open, revealing eyes so dark she could barely see the blue, and he took another shaky breath. "S-sorry. Shouldn't I be the one...?"

Zelda shook her head adamantly then moved her hand further into his pants. "Let me, for once. You never got to finish before."

The moment her fingers touched his erect shaft, he let out a soft groan and dropped his head to her shoulder. The grip his arms had around her body tightened, closing the small space between them, and he nuzzled his face against her neck. Her emboldened behavior flared and she slipped her fingers around him, giving him a soft squeeze before tugging him out of his pants.

The cold air hit him quick, but she was sure to keep him warm with her body encased around him and the hand stroking him.

She went through the motions, mentally looking back at what she had done the time before to make him unravel, and Link was incredibly receptive. Every groan was encouragement, every kiss to her neck was power, every tightened arm and trembling sigh was music. There was only one other time she truly felt like a Goddess, but it was nothing compared to this.

Link's hand traveled down to her rear, squeezing her hard through the thick fabric of her pants when her hand went up his shaft and around his head. His groan bounced off the walls of the cave and settled deep in her bones, spurring her on more and more. With every stroke, Link's hands wandered. He would squeeze her ass, then come to her front and massage her breasts through her thin shirt. After some fumbling, he'd go back to her ass and press his hips up against her, making her speed up her strokes.

He was gasping now, panting hot air against her neck and biting down against the column of her throat. He thrust into her in time with her strokes, his hips stuttering and off-rhythm.

"W-wait, wait, wait," he sputtered against her neck. Zelda slowed down and she waited for him to catch his breath before saying roughly, "I-I don't want to this way... I-"

Zelda silenced him with a fervent kiss and tightened her grip on him. He growled against her mouth, hungry as he tangled his tongue with hers, and she released him. Without a word, she broke the kiss and lifted herself from his lap. Her boldness dampened the place between her thighs, and it told her what to do. She knelt on the stone floor, ignoring the discomfort of the uneven ground under her knees, and she lowered her head to his lap.

For the first time, she truly got to see his manhood in all of its glory. Thick and smooth, with veins rising and falling from the shaft like small paths for her tongue to take. The head was bulbous, and what she knew from holding it in her hand, smooth and pliant. It throbbed and twitched as she took it in, an interesting observation. Taking note of what he had done to her in Gerudo Town, she pressed the flat top of her tongue to his head. His broken moan was like heaven, blended with his slightly tangy and salty taste and smooth skin. She drew from what she remembered his filthy mouth had done to her and swirled her tongue around him, causing another rough noise to rumble from deep in his chest. His hand flew to her hair, gripping her hard to keep her in place.

She removed her mouth from him and murmured, "Gently, please."

"O-oh, right. S-sorry."

His hand lightened its grip and he petted her hair affectionately before he guided her back to his shaft. Her tongue lapped against the smooth skin, moving along the protruding veins and up to his tip, then back down. Her boldness grew and she took him entirely into her mouth, sucking lightly on his head as she slowly took him, inch by tortuous inch. Her mind imagined him entering her like this and a moan came up unbidden. The vibrations from her mouth hit him hard, causing him to thrust his hips up and sheath himself entirely in her mouth.

The sudden intrusion caused her to gag and she let him go, coughing up the spit that had gone down her throat.

"S-sorry!" His hands gripped her face and pulled her up to his mouth. He kissed her hard, teeth clanking together in his desperation, and his hands pawed for her body to bring her back into his lap. When he broke the kiss, he went straight to her neck and his hand shook as he made for her pussy.

The second his fingers came in contact with her sopping and swollen folds, she cried out and reached for his cock again. He rubbed circles around her most sensitive bud, causing tremors of that tightening pleasure to shock her repeatedly. Too quickly, she came _hard_. Her cries were guttural and nothing compared to the waves of pleasure that she rode against his hand. Her vision was white and gold, blinding as she reached her peak.

She shuddered as his fingers continued their ministrations. "W-wait... I n-need to make you..."

Link silenced her with another kiss and he slowly removed himself from her pants. Zelda took the lapse in movement to stop the kiss and pull them down, letting the cold air hit her wet crotch. She shucked them off entirely, then shed her shirt and thin brassiere with it, leaving her completely nude in the cold air.

 _Thank the Goddess for Spicy Elixir..._

"Take me," she ordered as softly as she could. "Please."

Link's eyes were blown wide and impossibly dark, his cock jumping as it laid against his stomach, and he blinked a few times. "Wha- Right now? Aren't you a little cold?"

Zelda shook her head and smiled. "I want you here, now. No matter the weather, I wouldn't have this any other way."

His eyes took in her body, and she could have sworn he got harder and the sight of her, and he nodded before he stood and started to shed his clothes. His thick tunic came first, laid to the side as he removed his pants and boots. His erection bobbed with the movement, something that would have been a little humorous had it been a different situation, and her mouth watered when he was completely bared to her, scars and all painted onto his fit and _intact_ body.

"Thank the Goddess that the wind won't reach us here," he whispered, eyes locking on hers as he stood to his full height. Zelda's eyes took in all of his scars, the darkest being on his chest where the last Guardian he took down a century ago had hit him, and the numerous burns and slashes he had gained in his journey since. His body was strong, toned and lithe but not bulky or lanky. Though the scars were there, he still breathed. He was healthy and _alive_.

And oh so handsome in this ancient light.

They came together in one swift movement, mouths melding and warm bodies pressing against each other. Link's hands roamed her bare back, leaving goosebumps behind, as he lead her back to where he had shed his tunic. As he started lowering down to the floor, his hand anchored itself to her hip and guided her down with him. He sat on top of the tunic, legs sprawled, and he led her into his lap. The second his erection hit the wetness of her center, they both moaned and deepened the kiss. Seamlessly, Link shifted so he was positioned at her entrance, and he paused and broke the kiss.

"Are you sure?"

Without hesitation, Zelda took him and led him inside of her, gasping at the sudden fullness and stretch of him, and after their collective groans stopped echoing off the walls, she nodded. "Never have I been more sure."

The look in his eyes was full of love and wonder, and he kissed her soundly once more. As their lips collided, he shifted his hips and an eruption of pleasure coursed through her. She keened and clenched her arms around him. The sensation was almost too much to handle, too tight and stretching far more than he did to her with his fingers. Link must have seen her discomfort, because he stopped and started peppering kisses on her neck and chest, an attempt to ease her into it.

After a long moment she started rocking against him, grinding herself up and down his shaft like she had done with her hand and mouth. Link was panting soon, breath hot and wet against her skin. She rode him hard, reveling in the new waves of sensation that were being introduced to her body. She felt her pussy tighten around him when she grazed her clit against his pelvis, and she cried out. She kept doing it over and over again, picking up the pace and deepening his penetration with every grind of her hips.

Another orgasm was speeding towards her, ready to hit her like an avalanche, and her echoing cries were a testament of the fact. Her gyrating continued, becoming disjointed and erratic, and the tightening kept increasing and increasing and she kept climbing and climbing and-

"Oh, my- _Link!_ "

Like a spark turning into a flame, her whole body was set alight with pleasure. It rippled through her body, licking at every nerve and cell within her entire being. Her senses were heightened, strengthened enough that she swore she could feel the land like she had during her century-long stasis with Ganon. Every snowflake on the ground, every deer in the woods in the far reaches of the vast fields, every citizen of her country; she could feel them and their existence. And the most important one was between her thighs, moaning as she rode him through her orgasm.

Swiftly, as she finally started to reorient herself, Link wrapped his arm around her waist and thrust up into her. She faintly noticed his fingers were pinching her clit and with his second thrust she was surprisingly hurtling towards another climax. Tears burst from her eyes and she sobbed at the sensitivity. Her mind saw the whole sprawling land of Hyrule, glistening gold in the setting sun, and her heart swelled with love for the man that let her see it.

For a moment, everything seemed to stand still, everything but her and Link.

He was groaning against her chest, teeth grazing her neck and tongue soothing the bites as he thrust up into her over and over. His stamina was astounding, considering their collective experience- _or lack thereof_ \- and she was pleased to see him become unraveled inch by inch like she had.

She took her hand to his chin and raised him up so she could kiss him again. The second their lips touched, his hips sputtered and his eyes fluttered as he groaned loudly into the kiss. He stilled, their heaving chests the only things moving in the entire cave, and Zelda sighed. The warmth between her legs never faded, and she vaguely realized they hadn't used any sort of protection.

The thought didn't scare her, though. The Goddess would will it to be the right time, when She deemed it so. Even though the thought of sharing a child with Link thrilled her, regardless of the challenges they were to face in the near future, she knew Hylia would not grace them with that sort of blessing right now. Perhaps once Hyrule was back in order and Her people were safe and protected. Until then, Zelda felt assured of the fact. Her astute belief in Hylia helped solidify that.

It wouldn't be another few moments until either of them moved. They stayed in the embrace until Link slipped out of her with a slight wince and chuckle.

"I reckon we should clean up."

"I'm sure the Goddess wouldn't mind if we used Her Spring once more," Zelda mused loftily. Link gave her an incredulous look that she answered with a soft kiss. She stood, wincing at the stinging that came from her center, and she walked on wobbly legs towards the entrance of the cave. The cold winds hit her hard enough to steal her breath, but thanks to the elixir she was, for the most part, warm enough to tread into the water and let it clean her. Link was right behind her, hissing at the cold and quickly submerging himself in the cool waters.

His eyes were on her the whole time, taking in her nude body as she floating in the sacred Spring. To her, this was what was intended: to get as close to the Goddess as she could. Who knows, maybe if she had done this the century prior then-

"Nope, not thinking about that!" she quipped to herself as she sprawled onto her back atop the water. Link's questioning look made her laugh and she admitted to herself that everything happened the way it did for a reason. Her eyes drifted up to the Goddess's statue. Hylia willed it to be this way. And when she looked back at her love as he drifted to her side, she realized that she was perfectly content with this outcome. After all, in this world she got to be with him.

"I think we should get out," Link commented, his hand grazing her hip. "The elixirs will wear off soon."

Zelda nodded and rose from the water, her hair sticking to her skin and the water dripping down her sensitive body. "And we agreed to meet with everyone in a few days time at the Sacred Grounds. We'll need to head out soon so we can reach them in time."

Link stood and Zelda flushed at his brazen nudity. Despite having made love to him just a bit ago, the sight was still more than she was prepared for. His hand was outreached and she took it, her glance sidelong, and together they walked hand-in-hand towards the cave, where they would dry themselves and dress before downing another elixir and heading down the mountain.

But not after a little bit more time together before they returned to civilization.

* * *

 ** _tbc._**


	10. Coronation

**_A/N_** _OKAY THAT TRAILER THO_

 _Even though the new game seems to probably end the possibility of my stuff being "canon", I completely intended on finishing this story without the prospect of my work being retconned with the new game. I did kind of sneak in some things that sort of relate to the trailer itself, giving me an option to connect should I decide to write more of this story. Besides, it doesn't come out for another year or so, so I'm not worried. Here is the last bit of my Silent Princess Series, as well as the order of the parts included in this story. Go ahead and read them in order or keep them out of order, whatever floats your boat, because it makes no difference to the story plot-wise what order it is read in._

 _Thanks again for sticking with me for this long and enjoying my work. I love you all!_

* * *

 **Part 10: Coronation**

* * *

There was a letter waiting for her when she returned from lunch with Kaneli. Unmarked, unsealed, resting on her desk in the only beam of sunlight coming from the windows. Zelda looked around for the deliverer, but the entire gatehouse was empty save herself. It was still acting as her "office" until the wing of the Castle she would be staying in permanently was finished, which would take at least another year while the guest wings were attended to. The Sanctum was included in that part of the project, so the gatehouse was being used as her place of commune with the people until it was finished. Typically, at least one or two people were in or near the gatehouse itself, so being alone was unnerving, to say the least.

Zelda walked to the desk and picked up the envelope. It wasn't abnormally heavy, which was a good sign, and she quickly flipped it over to pull out the message. A familiar handwriting called out to her, neat and direct just like the owner, and she smiled.

Meet me where this all began.

Her smile grew and she quickly bounded out of the gatehouse. She gathered her skirts in her hands as she ran up the hill and around the bend. In the bailey above her room and personal study, where the rebuilt gazebo had finally been finished, stood her Appointed Knight, gazing out towards Hyrule proper with a thoughtful look on his face.

As she approached and slowed her stride, he glanced at her over his shoulder and said teasingly, "A Queen shouldn't run. It's improper."

"I'm not Queen yet," she replied with a sniff when she reached his side. He smiled at her, a small secretive smile, and she added, "I suppose I was trying to get it out of my system before tomorrow."

"Better now than when your guests arrive after the Coronation."

Zelda smiled, looked up into his eyes and - wait, up?

"When did you get taller than me?"

Link's eyebrow shot up and he looked down to his legs, then back up to her. "Since always?"

"Absolutely not," she retorted with a laugh. "I was definitely taller than you a century ago!"

"You were wearing heeled boots!"

"But not enough to change who was taller!" she exclaimed. She could barely contain her simultaneous outrage and laughter. "How could this have happened?!"

Link shrugged and turned to face her completely. "Perhaps after a century of sleep, my body finally decided to finish growing up. I had three whole months of growth before I came back here for you. And now another whole year."

Zelda huffed and gave him a small shove on his shoulder. Link played along, letting her move him as he let out a soft laugh that matched hers.

Once they both quieted down, she looked him in the eyes and smiled. She fought the urge to reach out and embrace him like they would in private, instead settling for a loving gaze and commenting softly, "Welcome back. I missed you."

"I missed you, as well," he replied just as gently, as to not be overheard by any curious ears that may be lingering in the shadows. "The Great Deku Tree was sad you were unable to come with me like last time, but he understood. He sends his well-wishes for your Coronation and hopes you will visit him again in the future."

"Was he disappointed that you weren't there to return the Master Sword?"

Link shook his head and reached behind his neck to rub the pommel of the aforementioned sword. "Surprisingly, no. He knew why I had gone there, but did not comment on my - and the sword's - desire to keep it in my possession. He knows there is much to do. The sword already gave me instructions on when to return it. Just, not yet."

She nodded and lowered her voice as she asked, "Did you find anything about Arya?"

Link's shoulders slumped and he scrubbed his face with his hands. "Deya was destroyed in a flood sometime after the Age of Burning fields... The home that would have belonged to my grandparents was nothing more than the floor. From what I tried to remember, she had lived with them for over two years before the Calamity struck, given the amount of time I was your appointed knight after I graduated and fetched the sword. I think I had visited once, but that was right before I was assigned to your side. After that, anything could have happened. She could have fled to the Faron Sea and sailed south, she could have ventured west and settled in Gerudo Town, or went north to Akkala where our mother's family lived... There's no way of me finding out after all this time."

"You could have stayed out looking for longer," Zelda murmured, once again resisting the urge to take his hand. There were so many eyes in the Castle now, any one could see them and their actions. "Maybe you could have found something if you had looked a little more. Perhaps Impa would know something more?"

Link gave her a wry look from the corner of his eye and replied, "And miss your Coronation? Not in a hundred years. Finding her can wait a little longer. The dead are going nowhere."

Zelda hummed and looked out towards the south, where the Great Plateau called out to her. Tomorrow at dawn, they would be travelling down the path through Hyrule Field, stopping at the Sacred Grounds first to send up prayers and offerings for blessing from Hylia, then hiking up the Grand Staircase that connected the Plateau to rest of Hyrule. By the time the procession is supposed to reach the Temple of Time, the sun should be at its highest point in the sky and she would be crowned Queen of Hyrule by the Zoran priest, Kapson.

It was a lot to take in, knowing that at this time tomorrow she would be Queen.

"How's Kaneli?"

Zelda blinked and turned her attention back to Link. He was quietly smiling at her, eyes bright in the afternoon sun despite something there had seemed guarded, and he leaned forward onto the railing as he waited for her response.

"Kaneli is well," she replied as she mirrored him. "We discussed the messengers that we sent across the Bridge of Gisa. They returned last week, bearing responses to my letters sent to the rulers of Holodrum and Labrynna. Both are interested in meeting with me, but only Queen Olina of Holodrum accepted my offer to attend Coronation and following reception. King Hector of Labrynna is currently away from the country, visiting their northern neighbors Arcadia for peace negotiations. He claims he would send his son, Prince Ralph, in his stead but the Prince is with him, as well."

"Oh?" Link egged her on without looking at her. Something odd tinged his voice - suspicion? Jealousy? No, that couldn't be it.

Zelda shrugged and added, "Peace negotiations are more important than coronations, I'm afraid."

Link hummed and she saw him fiddle with the Sheikah Slate on his belt, lost in thought, and she added in order to get his attention, "Though he intends on visiting here once he's finished to discuss possibly reintroducing trade between our countries. Hyrule has been isolated from those nations since around the time my grandmother was Queen, due to the rising conflict between Holodrum and Labrynna. They both wanted us to take sides, so she cut them off entirely. The only connection that remained was a bridge and the ambassadors, but that was destroyed after I sealed myself with Ganon. Possibly from refugees hoping to stop the spread of the Calamity to the other nations in the continent. Both Hector and I would like to remedy that and bring back our international trade."

She purposefully left out the suggestions in King Hector's letter regarding her meeting his son, the implications clear in his words of Ralph's qualities as a Prince of Labrynna and as a blooming leader. It was something she would broach with Link at a later date, if at all. The idea of marrying someone had not been a pleasant one, not when that someone wasn't Link. She knew she would have to marry eventually, to continue the Line of Hylia and the Royal Family itself, but that person being a stranger from another land did not sit well with her. If she had her way - and she vowed to, eventually - Link would be the one who would be her husband and protector of the Line of Hylia. She just needed to get past the unstable stages of her rule before introducing a potential husband to her people.

Link hummed again. It was disconnected and far away, certainly like his thoughts, and Zelda wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"Is something on your mind?"

He blinked and looked at her, then shook his head before removing the Slate from his belt and handing it to her. "I took pictures of the progress in Rauru. It should be finished before the end of the season."

Zelda took the Slate, still eyeing him warily, and she replied in a slow way as she looked at the pictures, "Of course. The people of this kingdom are diligent and determined. The presence of Ganon will surely be erased soon, though never from memory. We will never let him take advantage of our comfort again."

He hummed a third time and Zelda had enough.

"Link, surely something is on your mind. Clearly you would like to speak of it, else you wouldn't have asked me up here."

"I'm not allowed to request your company after being gone for three weeks?"

"Not when you are clearly troubled."

He glanced at her from the side of his eye - sizing her up, she supposed - and after a long moment, he sighed, "I... recalled something. While I was in Castle Town heading out... Something that happened between you and me and I wanted to know if I was reading into it too much. I've been trying to recall more as I've been travelling, but nothing else is coming up."

That got her full attention. Any recalled memory of them that she hadn't tried for him to find with the Slate always piqued her interest. "Oh? What happened?"

Link looked down at the water flowing past the gazebo as he spoke, his voice low and cautious, "I only got snippets, but the clearest thing I saw was you and me running to the Castle from Lanayru. I just want to know what made me turn us around and head to Necluda instead of fighting Ganon."

Her heart dropped and she looked at her clenched hands. She knew exactly why they fled, why he carried her from the woods all the way to the Dueling Peaks despite his own injuries that he obtained when he took on the Guardians they encountered near the Sacred Grounds. At the sight of the Guardian swarms that filled Castle Town and were spreading through Hyrule Field, Link had taken one look at her and her stricken face, then without hesitation led her away. Although they had gone together to face Ganon at the Castle, her powers had yet to manifest past hearing spirits - specifically the ones of their recently-fallen friends. Her horror had seized her almost completely, and Link saw they would not be able to fight Ganon in her current state.

He had been hit with one laser from a Guardian as they turned towards the Hylia River, but he had shoved her out of the way before she could get hurt. He didn't have to say it, but she could see in his eyes why he had led her away from Ganon instead of straight to him: to save her. Facing Ganon before her powers truly manifested would have spelled doom for both of them and for Hyrule. He knew it was either face Ganon and risk them both be slaughtered by the hundreds of Guardians in their way, or retreat until she was ready and not seized with her fear and grief.

He chose life for her at the cost of his own and of Hyrule's.

Telling him that would have brought more weight down on his shoulders, more guilt at the deaths of the people of Hyrule. She couldn't do that, not when it was clear that his guilt had plagued him since the moment they reunited on Hyrule Field.

"I asked you to," she lied quietly, quickly. She hoped he couldn't see her eyes as she looked at her hands. "I knew I couldn't face Ganon, despite my best efforts to harness my powers. Not when there was an entire army of Guardians between us and the Castle. Heading to Ganon would have killed us both, so I ordered you to retreat."

She spared a glance at him, and was surprised at the hard look in his eyes, his down-turned brow, and his clenched jaw. So different from the peace that he had surrounding him as of late, it made her chest feel heavy with guilt.

He knew she lied.

"Link-"

"I need to let Hoz know I have returned," he cut her off with his low voice, effectively stopping her defense. "I will see you this afternoon, Your Highness."

He took a step back and pitched a short bow before turning on his heel and striding out of the gazebo. Like his typical self, he moved off the path and leapt into the air as he snapped open his paraglider and glided down to the stairwell beneath her study. She frowned at his sudden departure and made to question him in regards to it later, but she knew she had to go meet with Serta shortly in the library so her time debating her approach to questioning him would be cut short.

She strode down the path alone, more composed and civilized than Link had, and made her way down the stairs under her study. After the excursion party had swept through the entirety of Hyrule Castle, finding naught but a stray keese in the tunnels on the western side of the island, Zelda declared the Castle safe enough for her to travel the halls without her shadow. In that moment, she was thankful for her insight to let Link roam freely and help the others clear out rubble and clean instead of tailing her whenever she left her room. With such solitude, she was capable of a moment of reflective thought regarding the walls around her.

Like the towns beyond the gates, Hyrule Castle was nearing completion with repairs and cleaning, almost as grand as it had been before Ganon soiled the place. Her old bedroom was cleared and repaired before they set the date for her Coronation, as was the library and the Guard's Chambers. The docks were well enough to not need more than repairs with some masonry, and most of the halls simply needed to be cleared and rubble removed. Luckily for her, when most of the filth had been removed, it was easy to see that there was minimal repairs needed save for a few staircases and collapsed walls. It was the Castle Town that truly needed attention, and at this point in time whatever was left was leveled by a team of Gorons and new buildings were being rebuilt over the grounds, soon to be ready for Hyrulians to return. According to Bolson, the city would be ready for habitation in less than a month.

The outposts north of the Great Plateau were finished three weeks ago, and Link had left to inspect them and make his small, personal trip down to Faron and up to the Woodland region to check on the progress at Rauru and visit the Great Deku Tree. The ranch in which her horse had once stayed would remain a ruin, for now the horses of Hyrule were left to roam freely as most of the people did. The stables had all been expanded, courtesy of the treasury and Link's own funds, and now could house three times as many patrons and horses as they had done in the past. In fact, entire inns were added onto the Riverside, Outskirt, Wetland, and Highland Stables to accommodate the influx of people that were sure to come back to Hyrule once Zelda became Queen.

Every town received money to repair any damages that they may have suffered in the last century, schools were funded and filled with enough supplies to teach the next generation of Hylians and beyond, and almost all of the bridges had been repaired to their former glory. The roads could still use a little more work, but Zelda believed that it could wait. After all, Hylia let her kingdom become this, maybe that was her intention after all.

She had become a firm believer in Hylia's will and the passage of events due to it.

Zelda reached the library and sighed when she crossed the threshold. Her eyes drifted to the space under the northern stairs, now open and completely empty, and she forced herself to tear her gaze away. With all of the changes done to the Castle and to Hyrule itself, the last vestiges of memories and mementos of her father were almost entirely cleaned away. His apartment was now used for royal guests from other countries, should they ever visit, and his study had been cleared out to be used as an office for the Head Librarian, Rotana the Gerudo.

"Princess Zelda! Right on time!"

Zelda turned around to see Serta descending the stairs that led to the upper level shelves, a wide smile on her lined face.

"Good afternoon, Serta," Zelda greeted with a polite smile. Worrying about her knight and her father's study and the state of the Castle before her Coronation tomorrow would have to wait. "Are you well?"

Serta nodded and gave Zelda a bow. "Very well. I received word that Queen Olina would be arriving later this evening after supper. She was crossing the Bridge of Gisa with her entourage a while ago and will be lodging in Gatepost Town. I sent Komali back with greetings from you, per your wishes."

Zelda gave Serta a nod and then went to the table where they had the plans laid out for tomorrow's festivities. "Is everyone accounted for?"

"Kapson arrived via waterfall while you were lunching with Kaneli," Serta replied as she tossed her auburn braid over her shoulder. "Along with Prince Sidon and a few other Zoras. King Dorephan will be meeting us at the Temple of Time."

Zelda smiled and her fingers brushed against the guest list. "That will be quite a sight. I can't remember the last time King Dorephan left the Domain, even a century ago."

"It is an important day, Your Highness," Serta commented, causing Zelda to look up. "Every being in the entirety of Hyrule will be gathering around the Plateau to witness you become Queen. Many have waited their whole lives for this moment."

* * *

Although Zelda had welcomed some old traditions back since her relocation back into Hyrule Castle, one she went without was her old bathing rituals. Before, handmaidens were quick to help her undress, assist her into the water, scrub her down and clean her hair, then help her out and slather on an oil that would keep her skin smooth and moisturized. The whole process- especially as she got older and more aware of her body - always left Zelda in a state of being on edge and uncomfortable, so she did away with the whole thing. Before the Calamity, during the blessed times when she traveled with Link, she would take care of her own hygiene in the rivers or lakes without any assistance, and now she wanted to keep her bathing to herself, just as she had done away from the Castle.

Ali and Anessa left her for the night and she quickly went to the bathroom attached to her room to start her nightly rituals. She took her bath, content in the solitude to wash herself as she mulled over the events of the next day, then she dried herself off and went to pull on her sleeping shift. Her hair was wrung out and she made her way to her vanity to start combing out the knots before she went to sleep. As her fingers tangled with the more unruly sections, she mused what it would be like to chop it all off to a length closer to Link's. It would be easier to maintain, surely, but not as regal as she had been told her long, golden tresses appeared.

She honestly didn't care about those appearances anymore. Truth be told, she would rather travel the lengths of Hyrule with her knight again, just the two of them, and explore and research the lands and Link's body to her heart's desire. But alas, she had a responsibility as the Goddess-Blood Princess and High Priestess of Hylia, to her people and to Hylia, to return Hyrule to its former glory while maintaining the world it had become in her absence.

It was a daunting, but very doable goal.

Exploring and researching could still happen once the country was a little more stable, again. Perhaps cultivating in the wild with her knight -

A knock on her door halted her steps and she frowned before going to the door. She opened it and was greeted with the sight of Link. He was wearing a nondescript tunic now, and was fully equipped with all of his necessary gear for an expedition.

Her eyebrow arched and she asked, "Are you planning on fighting some moblins on my balcony, Sir Knight?"

Link quirked a slight smile before lifting up his hand, revealing a cloth and a bottle of oil. "Polishing my gear before tomorrow."

"Here?"

He nodded and pushed past her. "I'm here to guard your sleep, Princess."

Her mouth screwed into a frown and she shut her door as she followed him into the room. "Link, there's no need for that."

Link turned around and shrugged before pulling his shield off his back and perching himself on the window sill beside her bed. Zelda took that as a dismissal of her objection and her cue to finish her nightly routine. With one last glance towards him, she made her way back to her vanity to finish combing her hair. Through the mirror, she could see Link focusing on cleaning his Hylian Shield, and the hilt of the Master Sword still rested on his back, gleaming silently.

Though the sword did not speak, Zelda could feel the pride radiating off of it, for both her and her knight.

The comfortable silence reminds her of before they had come back to the Castle, before the Calamity, before he was always by her side, and she hummed in thought. The only difference now was the strange distance between her and Link that had grown in his absence the last few weeks, however she knew it was not his absence that had created it. Link's mind was volatile, not in a worrisome way but in the way that made her wonder if there was any chance of complete healing after having one's memories stolen in the Shrine of Resurrection. Sometimes it seemed like he was the same boy she fell in love with before Ganon came, and others he was a completely different person, but one she loved, nonetheless.

Through the mirror, she looked to Link's face, wishing to meet his eyes, and she asked, "Do you remember how you became my appointed knight?"

Link paused before he shook his head and went back to polishing his shield, still avoiding her gaze. Zelda looked over her shoulder from her vanity and recalled quietly, "It was almost a year after you were knighted and went to get the Master Sword, and Robbie had brought a Guardian to the Castle Grounds to present to my father for tests. This was the first one that Robbie had managed to get under control, and he was ecstatic."

She saw Link slow his movements to a stop, his hand moving and flexing at his hip where the Slate usually rested, and his eyes started flickering around in thought. He was recalling organically, again.

Zelda swallowed nervously and continued, "However, something had happened and the Guardian started going haywire. Although he was observing the test from afar, my father was about to get shot by one of the lasers. Out of nowhere, you came running in. You brandished a pot lid of all things, likely left from the delegate breakfast that morning, and deflected the blast before it could reach the King."

Link's eyes had stopped darting around, and it was clear he was listening for the rest of the story.

"You had deftly parried the laser right back into the Guardian's eye and destroyed it. It was then that the King had made up his mind: you were to be the one to protect me as we neared the reappearance of Calamity Ganon. You were already being named Champion for your possession of the Master Sword, so becoming my appointed knight was pure convenience. My father felt you were the best for the job already, but the action with the Guardian solidified his belief."

"Robbie was furious at me for almost a whole month," Link remarked quietly, eyes narrowing and frown growing in his deep thought.

She couldn't help but let out a soft laugh and turned on her stool so she was facing him fully. "He made you collect Guardian parts for weeks after the fact. Every time we were out, you were climbing on the inactive ones that had been excavated and kept pulling out screws and springs and stuffing them in your ever-expansive pack."

Link met her eyes for the first time since he came into the room, yet his frown remained. "Why didn't you stop me? I knew how much you wanted those Guardians to work."

Zelda shrugged and stood, approaching him as she replied, "I always knew that you were a man of honor that kept your word. Collecting those parts for Robbie was penance, in a way. Besides, you grabbed some for me as well once you figured out my curiosity, even before I became friendlier to you."

His mouth screwed into something unreadable, and after a beat of silence Link tore his gaze from hers and went back to polishing his shield. "Robbie used all of those parts to create Cherry, apparently. So in a way, I helped my future self by collecting them."

Zelda's heart did that strange twist, as it always did when Link made such comments about the past and the future. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, stilling him for a moment before he set down his rag and looked up at her again. His eyes were dull, almost hollow, and immediately she wondered when was the last time he had slept.

"Perhaps," she mused as she slid her hand down his arm and sat next to him on the windowsill. "Perhaps it was just of Hylia's design, as this all has been. Regardless, it has brought you back to me."

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say, because his brows furrowed slightly before he placed his shield on his back and stood, effectively removing her hand from his. He gave her a stiff bow, then took a few steps back. "Go to sleep, Zelda. You need your rest before tomorrow."

If that wasn't a dismissal, she didn't know what was. So, instead of trying to pry this suddenly-sullen mood away from her knight, she stood as well and gave him a curt nod. He quickly made his way to the stairs that led to the rampart outside her room, not even meeting her eyes before he did. She stared at the space he had vacated for a long moment before she made her way over to her bed and laid under the sheets, wishing not for the first time that it was the bed in Link's home in Hateno instead.

The sounds of night filled her room, and as she forced herself to drift to sleep, she could hear the frustrated sigh of her knight watching over her sleep.

* * *

The morning of her coronation started quietly, which was a relief in itself. Zelda woke with the vestiges of a strange dream leaving her mind, blinking away the pale lights and Malice-like eyes that danced around her subconscious. She rolled out of bed lazily and rubbed her eyes, then looked out her window to see the shadow of her protector perched on the balcony of her tower. He was staring out towards the walkway that led to her suite, oblivious to her staring.

Or maybe he knew as soon as her consciousness started to shift and chose not to acknowledge her.

So, as the sun just started to lighten the sky, Zelda pulled herself out of bed and went to freshen up. After her hair was combed and her face washed, she stepped back into her room to see Anessa and Ali coming in, the latter carrying her dress for the Coronation. It was white and frothy, like the dress she wore when she went to pray and had been in when Ganon was defeated, but this one had sleeves and grazed the floor. Because most of the crown jewelry had been destroyed or looted, she was to be gifted a circlet commissioned by the Gerudo, filled with sapphires and rubies harvested off of Death Mountain, while the necklace and earrings she chose were crafted by the Zora, with diamonds from Hebra.

The bracelets she wore were the same she had when Ganon emerged one hundred and one years ago, and the same she was wearing when Link came to her aid, polished but the same that she and many before her wore as they were blessed to rule over the people of Hylia.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Anessa greeted as she and her sister bowed reverently. "Are you ready to begin?"

Zelda spared one more glance up towards where Link was likely still perched and she sighed before nodding. "As ready as I will ever be."

The next half hour passed in a blur, with Anessa and Ali helping Zelda get dressed and pull her hair into the traditional style: half pulled back into a braid while the rest hung loose, with two sections came from under her ears and rested on her chest, wrapped in ceremonial ribbons that were passed down for generations within the Royal Family. They had been found in the same vault that held her dress and the treasury, untouched by Ganon's filth and time.

The retinue that was to accompany her were waiting for her at the gates of the Castle when the sun was a quarter of the way up the sky. At this rate, they would reach the Great Plateau right at midday, as planned, and she would be crowned soon after.

Link was there to greet her, wearing his Champion's Tunic and his hair swept into a neat braid, with several of the newly reinstated Royal Guard and a few close friends: Sidon, Teba, Riju, and Yunobo among them. Kapson stepped forward and murmured a short prayer before they started marching through Castle Town towards the Sacred Grounds. The group did not follow her up the stairs to the broken stone, so she knelt alone and sent her prayers to the sky, asking Hylia for Her blessing and for Her protection during the trials of ruling Hyrule.

It reminded her of a time that her beloved was kneeling in the same spot, receiving an empty blessing from her own lips, and of how so much had changed in the hundred plus years since that day.

How much the world had changed, and how the life of Hyrule needed to change with it.

Silently, after a few moments of introspection towards her future as Queen, Zelda stood and turned towards her escorts. Link was staring right at her, his eyes bright in the morning sun and shining as he gave her a slight, reassuring smile. After his coldness the night before and his distance since he returned home, the look made her heart soar with hope and comfort.

Kapson stepped forward and uncorked a bottle of water he had on his hip. His thumb covered the opening slightly as he flung some of the contents at her, the water hitting her dress and face as he murmured, "May the Wisdom of Nayru guide you, May the Power of Din embolden you, May the Courage of Farore ground you. May Hylia's Blessing protect you."

Murmurs of assent came from behind him and Zelda bowed in thanks before they started towards the Great Plateau. The journey would have been easier on horses, but legend tells the story of how Hylia Herself had traveled through the entirety of Hyrule on Her feet, seeing each Spring and praying to cleanse Herself of impurities before sealing Herself away to destroy evil. It was tradition for the Princesses that were to become Queen, the holders of the Blood of the Goddess and the High Priestesses of Hylia, were to make a similar journey. Zelda had already visited all of the Springs in the past year, so Kapson felt she did not need to go again as per tradition. Instead, they walked down the main road, greeting the remaining Hylians that lined the roads to watch, and reached the Gatepost Town.

It was there that they were joined by the retinue from Holodrum, including Queen Olina herself. Zelda took in the woman's appearance - tall and lean, angular in a feline-like way, with long black hair that reached her hips in loose waves, and bright green eyes that rivaled those of the Gerudo. Set in her pale skin made Zelda wonder what kind of life she lived where her skin could still look like milk.

"Princess Zelda," Olina remarked in a husky voice as she bowed in respect. "Thank you for inviting me to such a wondrous occasion."

Zelda bowed in return and replied, "Thank you for coming."

There wasn't much time for pleasantries, for the Coronation awaited. As a large group - almost like a pilgrimage, Zelda mused to herself - they made their way to the Grand Staircase that would lead them to the top of the Great Plateau. She led the way, followed by her beloved knight, then the priest, and the rest of the group followed swiftly. They reached the top right as the sun peaked in the sky, its heat beating down on her in her heavy dress. The wind was cooler up on the Plateau, coming down from Mount Hylia as if She knew of Zelda's discomfort.

The Princess couldn't stop herself from chuckling at the thought.

The retinue walked through the ruins of an old town, remnants of what Hyrule had been in Her earlier years, and made their way up the stone stairs that led to the Temple of Time. In the restoration process that consumed the entirety of the country, The Great Plateau was left almost completely alone. The Guardian husks that once littered the place were taken away, and the walls and roof of the Temple of Time were rebuilt, but the rest of the Plateau itself was relatively untouched. The Shrine of Resurrection was closed off with a metal door that only Link or Zelda herself could remove using the Slate, but otherwise not much had been done.

Other than the expanding of the small lake of water outside of the Temple, solely for King Dorephan to occupy during her coronation. The fact that he was sitting comfortably in the water with many of his people, able to look through the open windows of the Temple to where she would be crowned Queen.

Zelda smiled at him and bowed in reverence to her old friend, and then stepped into the Temple itself.

Her small council members were all there, as well as every village and race leader from across the land. Kass the Bard was a special addition, per her own personal request, to play the accompaniment that would mark her ascension to the throne. The Temple itself was not full, but Zelda didn't expect it to be. There weren't enough people in Hyrule to fill every seat, anymore. She may perhaps be the first Queen in Hyrule's entire history that could learn the name of every inhabitant of her country, considering how many were left.

Many had even greeted her on her pilgrimage to the Great Plateau, so she felt accomplished enough knowing she had likely seen every Hylian on this day of days.

She stood in the entrance of the Temple of Time, letting the others get to their seat. Kapson stood in front of her, a tome under his arm and a cough in his mouth, and he motioned for everyone to stand.

"Today marks a momentous occasion: a new Queen has risen to lead Hyrule." He extended his hands to the sky, then towards the statue of Hylia at the back of the temple. "May the Goddess Hylia smile upon you all."

It was an ancient blessing that Zelda learned was not uttered often these days, due to the decline of the kingdom and the diminishing of Hylia's religion since the Calamity. Zelda, however, bowed her head as she did when in prayer and murmured under her breath, "Her Light a blessing."

A second voice had murmured it from behind her, one she knew to belong to Link, and she glanced over her shoulder at him and flashed him a brief smile before looking forward again. It seemed Link had remembered the old forms said in reverence.

"What a blessed day!" Kapson continued as if more than the two people behind him had repeated the old prayers. "Since the beginning of Hyrule, Hylia has looked down upon Her children with love. She guides us, comforts us, and illuminates us with Her divinity. In times of desolation, it was Her Light that protected us from devastation, Her Light that smites away evil and brings prosperity to Her land. It is Her hand that has kept Hyrule alive, and it will remain alive in Her vessel of Zelda Eugenia Hyrule, and her progeny in the future."

It was then that Kass began playing his teacher's song, a specific request of her's, and Kapson led her to the altar beneath the Goddess's effigy. Her people bowed as she passed, and her heart hammered in anticipation as she glided towards the back of the temple. It was said that the Master Sword itself used to be housed here, as the gate to the Sacred Realm and the Triforce, and Hylia had once used this temple Herself as a place of commune, where She prayed in stasis for thousands of years in order to keep evil at bay.

Much like Zelda had in order to keep Ganon in check until Link was ready.

She smiled when Kapson stepped up onto the altar and turned to face her. One hand was still holding his tome open to a specific page, while the other was outstretched towards the congregation. "Hylia sees Her people and sends Her blessings to them."

Zelda knelt at the first stair, her hands clasped together, and she bowed her head as she murmured the appropriate form: "May Her Light shine into the darkness."

Kapson lowered his hand and he smiled at the people gathered in the temple. "It is with great pleasure that I am here today, that I have lived to see Hyrule become the thriving beacon of hope that it had been in my youth. It takes more than the manifestation of evil to destroy Hylia's Land, thanks to our Goddess-Blood Princess and the Chosen Hero."

He gestured towards Link and Zelda turned around to acknowledge the Hero of Hyrule, who was still standing near the back of the temple, the Master Sword off his back and the tip touching the ground, much like he had done when she would pray in the Springs and he guarded her vigil. Zelda met his eyes, and he gave her a small nod before resuming his guard.

"Today marks a new day for Hyrule: a new dawn after a long night, a new life for the people of Hylia. We mark this momentous occasion, one year after the eradication of the Calamity and Malice, by presenting Hylia's people with their new leader: a new Queen to bring us into a new era of peace and love. The people of Hyrule are strong, and have survived the past one hundred years against adversity and strife. We have endured, and have waited for the day for us to be united under Hylia's watch, a watch seen through the eyes of Her vessel."

Kapson looked down at her. "Zelda Eugenia, daughter of the late Rhoam Bosphoramus and late Zelda Aurelia, Champion of Hyrule and Princess with the Goddess's Blood, High Priestess to the Goddess Hylia, do you swear to protect these people, the Children of Hylia, from this day until the end of your days?"

Zelda's throat felt tight and a burning sensation grew in her eyes. "I swear."

"Do you swear to serve the people of Hylia, to bring the lands of Hyrule to the highest you can lift?"

Zelda nodded. "I swear."

"Do you swear to uphold the mantle of Hylia's Chosen, of Her Blood, and Queen of the Goddess's Light, to the best of your ability?"

A breath, then she smiled as she fought the tears in her voice. "I swear."

Movement, then a pressure on the top of her head - his hand. Drips of water then fell into her hair and onto her bare shoulders, and Kapson repeated the prayers he had stated before: "May the Wisdom of Nayru guide you, May the Power of Din embolden you, May the Courage of Farore ground you. May Hylia's Blessing protect you."

Zelda let one tear fall and she took a deep breath. Everything she had worked for - sealing Ganon, bringing Hyrule back from ruin, taking up her rightful place as the Queen, had all come true. She was here, one year after a ending a century of fighting, and was being blessed with the most important of burdens: the responsibility of Hyrule. Hylia had blessed her the day she was born, and it was on this day that Zelda reaped the benefits of her struggles.

As a youth, she never had wanted to become Queen of Hyrule. It was expected of her, but not as much as her obtaining the sealing power that would lock Calamity Ganon away for another ten thousand years. She knew it would be a mantle she would inherit, but its importance was lost in the wake of Ganon's imminent return. After Link had come to end the battle and Zelda was free to roam Hyrule again, she learned that it was a duty she had, not just as the Goddess-Blood Princess, but as the only living member of the Royal Family to bring back stability to her beloved kingdom. As much as she would like to continue to travel and research, she knew she would still have the chance to do so in the future. In the meantime, she would protect her people and let them live without worry of evil returning in their lifetimes.

The warmth of Hylia's Light glowed on the back of her hand, and she smiled once more.

"This crown is not a luxury," Kapson proclaimed, his words straight from the tome in his hands. "It is a burden, worn with the knowledge of Hyrule's past, present, and future, and the cycle in which our world is in."

A beat, then the crown was lowered onto Zelda's head, light in weight but heavy in image, and Zelda looked up to Kapson.

"Rise."

She did and smiled at the wizened Zora as he turned his attention to the people behind her, bidding her to turn and face them. "May I present, Her Majesty, Zelda Eugenia, Queen of Hyrule."

The people erupted into applause, cheering and crying as she smiled down at them. Her promises of changing Hyrule, but not changing Hylia's intent, had been a relief to some of the people. For one hundred years, her people had thrived without a monarch, but they were in need of guidance into the new world that they found themselves in. They sought that out in Zelda, the princess that had been locked in Hyrule Castle fighting against Ganon so they could remain safe.

Her eyes met blue at the end of the aisle and her heart stopped.

Link was smiling, truly smiling, and applauding with the others. She couldn't help but smile wider as she remembered that they would soon seek it out in him, as well.

* * *

After the official Coronation was over, Zelda and the entirety of the guests at the ceremony made their way back to the Castle. The Zora took the rivers, while the Gorons rolled down together in a straight path, avoiding the roads entirely in favor of a more direct route. The Rito that attended flew, clearly, and the Gerudo in attendance were content with walking with the Hylian retinue. Queen Olina and her entourage stopped at the inn they were staying in and then made their way behind Zelda and her people. By the time they all arrived at the Castle, the sun was starting to set in the sky and the party was ready to start.

Because the Sanctum was not complete, the celebrations were held in the Eastern Wing, between the foyer by the Observation Room and the Dining Hall. Zelda herself remained in the foyer, perched beneath the banner that was emblazoned with the crest of the Royal Family, and spent most of the evening thanking people for attending the ceremony and reception, as well as receiving gifts from them. Offerings, she considered them when she saw some of the trinkets she had been given.

Chief Makeela Riju of the Gerudo gave her a cherished bracelet that connected to a ring with a thin chain, proclaiming its abilities included protecting the wearer from harm. Bludo the Boss of Gorons gave her a small chisel that guaranteed a valuable ore, according to Goron lore. Kaneli of the Rito gave her a dainty necklace that was inlaid with a small pearl, one he claimed was chipped away from a much larger, more sacred pearl with a new piece for each new monarch of Hyrule, then given at their Coronation as a gesture of goodwill between the races. Her mother had received earrings, while her father received a pinky ring.

King Dorephan of the Zora bestowed her with a tunic similar to the one Link had, with the same abilities. The scale used for this tunic came from Sidon, who proclaimed that since he was Prince, the whole "intended for marriage" part was not implied, much to Zelda's - and Link's - visible relief.

Queen Olina approached Zelda from her little "throne" and gave her a formal bow. Zelda couldn't get over how beautiful this woman was, and how unnerved it made her. Olina's eyes darted over to Link at her right, sizing him up in a way that made Zelda squirm, and then she rested her bright eyes back on the new Queen.

"My gift for you, young Queen, is a traditional garment from Holodrum," Olina proclaimed. One of her knights came forward with a wooden box about as wide as her shoulders, and opened it for her. Inside, nestled in the crushed velvet colored like the night sky, was a cape of the same color. Zelda gingerly pulled it out, admiring the details that had gone into it. On the shoulder it was embroidered with the Hylian Crest, and down the back was a stylized version of a Silent Princess. The hood had details similar to her crown and matched the trim on the cape itself.

Zelda met Olina's eyes and gave her a genuine smile, warmth filling her at the very personal gesture. "Thank you so much, Queen Olina. I have always heard of the capabilities of Holodrum seamstresses. Seeing it in person is a wonder for my eyes, truly."

Olina smiled in return and took Zelda's hand and clutched it between hers. "I truly hope you enjoy it, Your Grace. I hear from some reliable sources that you are a rather adventurous royal, so we made sure it was durable enough to withstand a more than a few excursions through the mountains. I wish the most prosperous of times so you can take advantage of my gift."

The Queens exchanged bows and plans to go over some ideas for their countries before Olina returned to Holodrum, and soon it was just Zelda sitting on her throne with Link at her side, as she always wanted it to be. With a weary sigh, she settled a little more into her seat and watched her people celebrate the occasion.

"How are you faring?"

She looked over to him, seeing the concern on his face, despite the guarded look in his eyes, and she gave him a sweet smile. "Just a little tired. It has been a long day."

She was right: by the time all the village and race leaders had greeted her and given her their gifts, the sun had long set and the moon had climbed halfway up the sky. Typically, she was asleep by now.

Link nodded in agreement before pitching his voice a little quieter, "Would you like to retire for the night? There was no plan of the festivities lasting into the morrow."

She glanced at her guests and replied, "I couldn't possibly-"

"They will probably thank you," Link claimed, cutting in softly but not rudely. "After you leave, they are permitted to leave, as well. It is almost midnight, so I feel they might be wanting to start turning in for the night."

Zelda met his eyes again. "Are you sure?"

For the first time since he returned, Zelda was certain she saw that spark return to his eyes as he nodded and took a step away from the throne. "It's your decision, Your Majesty."

Zelda sighed again and looked at the people. Sidon and Teba seemed to be engaging in a very in-depth conversation, one that included wild gestures from the Zora and rancorous laughter from the Rito. Riju was speaking to Nell, with Buliara right behind her wearing the most stern face Zelda could ever imagine on someone other than Urbosa.

Despite the jolliness of the occasion, Zelda could see the exhaustion clear in the faces of some of her guests. Even Kapson was already napping on the bench he had decided to take over and Kaneli was yawning loud enough to let out a hooting sound. She smiled fondly at them all, content with the happy feeling that was settling warmly in her chest. She looked to her knight, nodded as she met his eyes, then stood from her seat. Those who were seated at the time rose, as well, and the sounds of conversation died as she addressed them all, for the first time truly as Queen.

"I would like to thank you all for coming to spend this momentous occasion with me," she started, growing courageous under the eyes of her people. "Hyrule would not be what it is without the resilience of Her people for the past century, and I am honored that I have been able to meet the people that kept it alive in my absence."

"We wouldn't have lived without you, Queen Zelda!" Sidon called from the crowd, his sharp grin gleaming with pride. A cheer erupted as the other guests agreed with his statement, and Zelda fought the heat that bloomed in her cheeks. She had to be strong and unbowed in front of her people, but perhaps showing a little bashfulness would make her seem more human.

"Thank you, Prince Sidon," she remarked with a slight bow to him. "I am honored to be the leader of such a strong populace, and in time I hope to bring Hyrule back to the glory that my forefathers had dreamed of. As I have promised, I will not change the world we live in, but rather grow with it as Hylia has intended. In time, we will move on from the tragedy of the Great Calamity and it will be nothing but a memory. We will never forget, for we will be a better generation by learning from the mistakes of our ancestors."

Applause was the response and she waited until they died down before continuing, "This day has been wonderful. And tomorrow is the dawn of a new era for Hyrule. May the Goddess smile upon you."

As the applause and cheers filled the room, Zelda and Link left behind the guests, making their way up the stairs, passing the guests that had lingered in the Dining Hall, then cutting through the halls. The sounds of the party died as they ventured deeper into the Castle, heading towards her rooms, and by the time they were climbing the stairs that led to her hallway, Zelda looked over to her shoulder to see Link was already watching her.

The want in his eyes was clear, but not as clear as the conflict and tension that was there, as well. It confused her, but not at the same time. He had been so distant since he returned the day before, and it had been over a month since they had truly touched each other in the privacy of her room. There was something on his mind, something they really needed to discuss, and she vowed to get to the bottom of it before she retired for sleep tonight.

They reached her room and she unlocked the door, slipping inside with him right behind her. Link cased the room, as he always did, before nodding to her and making his way over to the hearth. There was already a fire crackling there, but the night brought a chill into the room.

As he stood behind one of the chairs and looked into the fire, Zelda took her crown off her head, placed it on the dresser, then started taking off her jewelry. "Did you have a good time?"

Link met her eyes and his brow arched in his answer.

She nodded and set her bracelets down next to her crown and started working on her earrings and necklace. "I was afraid something wrong was going to happen. When I was a child, I always thought I would trip on my dress or it would rain and mess up my hair. But nothing like that happened, thankfully."

The last of her jewelry was set down and she looked back to Link, seeing the tension clear in his shoulders as his grip started to tighten on the chair in front of her. Her happiness faltered at the pained look on his face, as if he had been stabbed and the thought made her stomach churned with the memory of him dying in the Blatchery Plain.

She sighed. "Link, is everything alright?"

That subtly frantic look, the one that she recognized when he woke up from a bad dream or pulled himself out of a bad memory, flashed on his face when he looked to her, his grip getting frighteningly tight on the chair.

Instantly, almost as if he could see her own apprehension at his behavior, Link blinked and looked away from her, schooling his features and loosening the grip on the chair. "I'm fine."

Zelda started unraveling the ribbons around her braids and replied, "Clearly, you are not. It seems that whenever we are alone together you can barely look at me. Did I do something to upset you? Because if I did, I apologize and will do whatever I can do remedy the situation."

Link rolled his jaw and shook his head a few times before he took a deep breath. As he figured himself out, Zelda turned to the window and let the ribbons fall into the palm of her hand. She started twisting them in her fingers as she waited.

It was at least two whole minutes before he spoke again.

"I need an answer. An honest one."

His voice sounded almost angry, at her or himself, she did not know. But it was clear that he was gritting his teeth, steeling himself to speak to her with what was on his mind. It was painful thinking about his apprehension to talk to her, considering how close they had gotten in the year since Ganon's defeat. His apparent anger was making her stomach churn with unease.

For someone who always had such a tight hold on his emotions, hearing the clear pain when he spoke made her question what she missed when it came to getting to know him. She had been there in his rash moments, in his episodes after getting a memory back or his pain when thinking of his past, but he was never this clear when it came to his actual pain regarding the present.

Zelda stared out the window, her fingers still twisting the ribbons between her fingers, and she asked as calmly as she could, "What do you ask of me?"

"I want to know what you want."

She looked over her shoulder to see him staring at the floor, still clutching the top of the chair as he continued without lifting his gaze to meet hers, "I want to know what you want from me. What you want from this now that you're Queen. After all, I think I deserve an honest answer for once."

Zelda turned around - slowly, deliberately - and waited for him to raise his chin to look her in the eyes. When he did after a long silence, she replied, "I want peace and stability. I want to wake up to you in my bed, sleeping for once. I want my kingdom to flourish. I want you by my side, like you have been this past year. That's all I want."

Link frowned and he looked off to the side towards the fire in the hearth. "That's not good enough. Try again."

"What do you want me to say, then?" she half-shouted, her patience shattered at this point. His instability, be damned. "That I want you to guard my life and protect my progeny in the coming years? That I want you to be my partner? Link, all I've wanted is for you to be by my side. If that is something that's going to be a problem, I can easily-"

"That's not it at all and you know it," he hissed as he tightened his grip on the chair. The wood actually squeaked under his intense grip. "Why didn't you tell me about Labrynna and King Hector coming here? He wasn't subtle regarding his son, too."

Her heart hammered in anger. "How did you find out about that?"

Link scowled and retorted, "I didn't know it was actually a secret."

"It wasn't something that was being shared with the entire court, if that's what you're insinuating!" Zelda shouted back, feeling breathless in her ire. "How did you find out about it?"

"Leaving an open letter spread out on your desk is not a good way to keep secrets, Zelda," Link stated in a way that was nothing but a reprimand. "Regardless, I asked you about it and you said it was nothing. Why didn't you just tell me the truth about it? Or when I asked you about what happened before I fell during the Calamity? You couldn't look me in the eyes when I asked you about it and you brushed it off as if it's not important. I can't be your partner, romantic or otherwise, if you're not honest with me."

Her chest was getting unbearably tight. "That's not-"

"You don't want the people to know about us because you think it can hurt the fragile stability you've built since we defeated Ganon," Link cut in sharply, causing her to snap her jaw shut with an audible click, "and I understand that, but you have to understand how it makes me feel when you choose to hide me like some sort of guilty pleasure, especially when the people already have accepted you and your rule. You're Queen now, so what they all think is irrelevant."

Zelda blinked back the tears that started to build in her eyes and she waited.

"Your actions deprive me of a choice in the matter," he added in a low tone, hurt and angry and betrayed almost. "I don't care about the title of boyfriend, or whatever. What I want is for you to be clear with your intentions because so far all they've done is confuse me, considering all that I've had to go through for you. The least you can do for me is be honest."

She sniffed and turned her face away from him. "I'm not sure how I can. There are things you cannot be privy to, things that only the Royal Family can know. And one of those things includes Labrynna and King Hector's letter concerning his son. It's not your business to know who has the intention to marry me, lover or not. And in regards to who decided to flee from the Castle, it's not important-"

"Dammit, Zelda, of course it's important!" he snapped. With a forceful thrust, he let go of the chair and stomped over to the fireplace. For a long moment, the silence stretched on between them, suffocating her and lodging in her chest. When Link finally spoke again, his voice was low and hard and empty, "Everything I remember is disjointed, all scattered and fractured. There are so many things I don't know, and a lot of them are things that don't have to do with you. It feels like my whole existence has revolved around yours and I can't shake the feeling that you've done it deliberately."

Her heart shattered and the first of her tears fell. "How could you think so little of me?"

"There were no pictures that didn't have to do with you," he murmured, eyes still on the fire. She could see the shadows of the flames dancing on his skin, but not his face. She had no idea if the impassive tone matched his eyes. "Even the memories I recovered without the pictures almost still had something to do with you. I didn't remember what my sister looked like until I found my old home and recalled her organically. I didn't remember the song my mother sang to me during thunderstorms until I found myself stuck in one and the song popped up in my head. I have no idea if I had any friends before I went to the Master Sword, just Mipha stands out. There are so many missing pieces, and they're all the ones that have nothing to do with you. I understand that the Slate was yours, but at the same time I can't stand the thought that I am not my own person anymore away from you."

Zelda steeled herself, suddenly feeling awfully empty, and she replied evenly, "Do you resent that I made the decision to put you in the Shrine of Resurrection?"

"I don't know." The fact that his answer was immediate concerned her more than what he actually said. His replies almost were always weighted, as if he tried to search for the right thing to say no matter what the question had been. An immediate response meant he already knew what she was going to ask. Or that he had thought of his answer long before he knew if she would ask.

"Why not?"

"I don't know who I was well enough to know if it was something I would resent."

More often than not, the pain of his plight made her chest ache. Now was no exception. "Would you resent me for saving your life?"

"At the expense of your own, yes." He lifted his eyes from the fire and met her gaze, showing her the agony that was swirling in his mind. "You spent one hundred years trapped here with Ganon. All because I fell. You could have easily let me die and let my soul be reincarnated so you could have been freed sooner."

"And be saved by someone who was not you?" she whispered. She felt tears start to burn in her eyes at the doubt in his, and she continued, "If there was the slightest chance that I would be able to live after the Calamity, and come out victorious, I would want you at my side. I would have waited a thousand years if that's what it took to have you with me."

"Why was I worth that risk?"

She blinked away her surprise and let the warm smile she felt bloom on her lips. "Because you're you. And I love you. Even back then, I knew I did. And I wouldn't have been able to keep Ganon at bay without the knowledge that it was you who would be coming to help me. Not your next life or someone the Master Sword deemed strong enough to take on evil. But you. And only you. It's not the Soul of the Hero that makes you special to me, it's you."

Link's eyes widened almost comically as she spoke.

Her smile turned sad when she whispered, "Why do you doubt me?"

"I do not doubt you," he replied just as quietly, casting his gaze back to the fire. "I never have."

"Then what is the issue?"

He groaned in frustration and pulled his hair out of his neat braid. "I don't know! You ask me to be with you, and to be by your side. But not publicly, not yet. The people need a level-headed Queen, not a lovesick teenager who fell in love with her appointed knight like some foolish girl. I feel like some secret that has to be kept like one of those things that only the Royal Family can be privy to. Because of that, I can't help but read into that knowing what I know and what I feel from before."

"I'm sorry if I've made you feel that way," she replied, feeling her tears burn as they trailed down her cheeks.

He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair, smoothing the errant strands back down. "Are you ashamed of me?"

"Absolutely not."

He met her eyes. "Are you afraid?"

Zelda shook her head. "With you by my side? Never."

His shoulders fell slightly then, and he sighed, "What is it that you want from me?"

The same question, softer this time. Zelda couldn't help but smile. "I want you with me, as long as you'll have me."

"Openly?" Link asked, a hopeful note in his voice.

Zelda took a deep breath and replied, "Let's discuss it after King Hector has left Hyrule. I do not want to forgo a possible alliance because King Hector has assumptions about what I can offer and he gets upset that I outright don't want to marry his son."

Link didn't visibly fall in disappointment, but she could tell that wasn't the answer he was looking for. He looked away and rolled his jaw. "Very well. Is that all my Queen needs?"

As he turned to leave, Zelda's heart started to race in a panic, recognizing the professional edge Link's voice took when he first was assigned as her knight and while they were in a public setting. She rushed over and took his hands between hers, feeling the scars and callouses catching against her smoother skin. "Please. Don't leave. We need to talk about this."

He didn't look at her.

"I love you, and I want to be with you," she started softly, feeling his hands relax in her grip as she spoke. "There are some things that need to be taken care of first before I entertain the idea of a public romantic entanglement. There's no one I'd rather have by my side than you, but you have to understand there are some responsibilities that come along with courting the Queen. I didn't want to overwhelm you with all of it so soon after we reunited."

Link's hand turned in hers and that panic ceased slightly. "You didn't want to overwhelm me?"

"More or less." They met each others' gaze and she smiled. "I wanted to ease you into the idea of being with me and the responsibilities that come along with it instead of thrusting that expectation on you. I know you haven't recovered all of your memories, so I didn't want to make you feel like you were obligated to me."

"Never."

Her hands tightened around his. "All I want to know is what you want. You need only ask."

"I want you," he said, voice cracking as if he was fighting back his own tears. "Is that what you want, too?"

All she could do was nod.

His silence was deafening, but not damning. She could see the war in his eyes as they darted around her face, his hatred of the unknown, his love for her. It made her stomach churn with the thought that he would not be able to take on the pressures of being her secret lover. And if it was all he knew, he could start to resent her and her order.

"If that is my Queen's desire, then so be it."

When they clashed together, Zelda was certain she could see stars. His mouth was incessant and desperate, while his hands clawed and clung to her like he was afraid she was going to drift away. He was trembling - barely, but she could feel it - and his breath was uneven as it fanned her face.

He moved her to the bed, conscious of the path there without even opening his eyes, and soon her knees were hitting the mattress and he was lowering her gently to the plush surface. Link continued kissing her as a thump, followed by a second, filled the room. She surmised it was his boots hitting the floor, then he was lifting her knees up so her feet were pressed to the mattress and he settled between her spread legs. His hands busied themselves with unbuckling her shoes, tossing them to the side after they were loosened, then quickly shooting his hand under her skirt to divest her of her underthings.

Link broke the kiss and murmured against her jaw, "Love you."

Zelda couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as his fingers busied themselves with her womanhood. "I love you too, you heathen."

She could feel him smirk against her skin before peppering kisses down her throat and biting lightly at the base of her neck. Zelda held him close as she rubbed his back, feeling her love for him warm her entire being. His fingers played with her, getting her ready for the inevitable, and her hips rolled on their own volition against him. She could feel the heat of his arousal pressing against her thigh, throbbing and wanting, and her mouth watered as her center tightened at the thought of it inside of her.

When Link slowed his ministrations and pulled his hand away, Zelda whined at the loss of him. He winked at her before standing and shucking his tunic off and unbuckling the belts around his waist.

"Do you need assistance in removing your dress, Your Majesty?" he asked with a voice so husky and feral it made her loins clench. His eyes dragged to her spread legs and her bared womanhood before he licked his lips. "I would prefer not letting such a beautiful garment be destroyed."

Zelda sat up, boldly reaching behind her back to unfasten the ties of her dress, and she stood to shimmy it off her body entirely. Link had already taken her underthings, but she did not wear a brassiere under her dress today. So now she was completely bare to him, smirking all the while, and she sat back down on the bed as he hurried with shoving his pants and undershorts down his legs. When his erection bobbed free, the watering in her mouth grew and she motioned for him to come closer. After stepping out of his pants, he closed the distance between them and Zelda immediately placed her hands on his hips. Looking up at him, meeting his dark and admiring eyes, she licked her lips and boldly took him in her mouth.

His eyes bulged and a stuttered breath came out of his mouth as she sheathed him completely between her lips. He was large enough that she had to open her mouth as wide as it would go, but she still had enough room to swipe her tongue across the underside. Link's hand shot to her hair and Zelda let him guide her motions: in and out, in and out, remembering what she read in one of the once-forbidden books while Link was gone.

Apparently, it was the right thing to do because his knees started to buckle and he gently guided her head away from him.

With a breathless chuckle, he knelt down between her legs and kissed her soundly on the lips. After pulling away, he brushed her hair back and murmured, "Keep that up and I won't be able to last."

She hummed and kissed him again. "Perhaps that was my intention, so we could continue this through the whole night."

There was a low growling in his chest at her remark, thrilling Zelda down to her bones, and he stared at her with a wildness in his eyes that spoke only of the ravishing she was about to endure.

"Perhaps I want to service my Queen until dawn," he remarked as he wrapped his hands around the bottoms of her thighs and lifted her up. He crawled towards the center of the bed, carrying her all the while, and continued, "Perhaps I want to taste every inch of my Queen, listen to her moan my name like a prayer to her beloved Goddess. Perhaps I want to worship her like the Goddess she is."

With that, he deposited her on her back, spread her legs, and pistoned himself in her wet heat. Her cry was silenced with his mouth, hungry for her vocalized pleasure, and he started grinding into her. Every thrust sent stars into her eyes, pumped the blood in her body, made her heat throb with more and more want. He was slow and deliberate with his movements, flexing up into her well enough that every inch of his pelvis ground against hers. Link was careful in his worship, hands greedily caressing her breasts while he thrust in and out of her.

Too quickly, he pulled out and Zelda's second whine was silenced when he rolled her onto her hands and knees. He gave her core a long lick, drinking in her essence, and she shivered when the coolness of his tongue plunged into her. After a moment of enjoying her taste, Link sat up and his legs were slotted up against hers. She could feel the motion of his hand keeping himself hard as he lined his head to her opening, and a breath later he was putting his hands on her hips and plunging into her again.

"Oh, sweet Goddesses!" she cried as he thrust his hips Each grind sent shocks through her, jolting her boiling blood down to her toes and fingertips. She clutched the sheets beneath her and moaned as the warmth of her pleasure churned in her belly. The side of her face pressed to her pillow and she looked over her shoulder to her knight, who was staring at her with such devotion and reverence that her body convulsed in a spontaneous orgasm.

The pleasure rocked her so deeply that she shook, rippling down her limbs and settling lazily in her warm center. Her cries were muffled by the pillow, her grip on the sheets so tight she could feel her fingernails bite into her palms through the fabric.

But Link was not done. As soon as the waves slowed, Link was leaning over her, kissing her between her shoulder blades and reaching around to cup her breast in one hand and to rub her folds with the other. The touch of his fingers sent her over the edge immediately and she sobbed with satisfaction as he pulled himself completely out of her before plunging right back in, sharp enough in the snap of his hips to push her into the pillow.

This time as she calmed, Link pulled out and guided her to her back. Zelda let him position her with her jelly-like legs spread wide, grinning as he locked his eyes on her and gave her center another worshiping kiss. He did not remove his eyes from her as he suckled the bundle of nerves that he favored, nor when he took her lips between his and gave them a playful nibble.

When he was finished having his fun, he crawled up her body in a predatory way that reignited her thirst for him, and she grabbed the nape of his neck and pulled him down for a fierce kiss. He entered her then, sliding in with ease, and he continued the pace he had kept when she was at his mercy before. The taste of her lust was heavy on his tongue, as was the taste of him that sent her over the moon.

Link picked up his pace, grunting and growling against her lips, and he gripped her hip with bruising force. One, two, three thrusts and he was gasping and spilling himself within her. The warmth of his release spread through her bones, mellowing her out and permitting her to finally relax.

He kissed her again, softly this time, then pulled out of her and rolled them both onto their sides so he was pressed against her back. He kissed her neck, murmuring another declaration of his love, and Zelda held his hands close to her heart.

"Tomorrow is a new day, my Queen," he mumbled against her skin. "Are you ready to lead Hyrule into a new Golden Age?"

Zelda smiled and felt herself get drowsy under his protection. "With you by my side? Always."

* * *

 ** _A/N_** _gonna be honest when I say that was a DOOZY to write and I am so happy I was able to finish this. I hope you enjoyed my story and for your reading pleasure I have the official order of the parts, including_ ** _I Knew You_** _and **The Queen's Desire:**_

 _ **I Knew You**_

 **One**

 **Four**

 **Six**

 **Three**

 **Nine**

 **Eight**

 **Five**

 **Seven**

 **Ten**

 **Two**

 _ **The Queen's Desire**_


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